An Awesome Summer
by BabySilly1980s1111
Summary: Annie can't wait to spend the whole summer with her niece, Abby, who she loves and misses VERY much. This story has some made up characters and takes place in 1989. Abby is a special needs child.
1. Chapter 1 The Happy News

**Notes:**

**This story was actually published on March 24, 2005, but it was removed. Here it is again (_not_ in script this time).:) I hope to have chapters 3 – 6 re typed and posted soon.:)**

**Thank you to everyone who helped me with this story.:)**

**If anyone sees anything on here that goes against the guidelines, please send me an e-mail to let me know and I'll fix it. You can e-mail me by going to my profile (by clicking on my pen name) and there is a link on there that leads to a form where you can send me a message.:)**

**Introduction:**

**This story takes place in 1989 – 7 years before the 1st season, so Ruthie, Sam and David aren't born yet.**

**For this story Annie has a brother, John Jackson. John has a daughter, Abby (You can read about them below).**

**About Abby**

**Name:** Abigail Jackson

**Nicknames:** Baby Girl or Sweet Baby – Annie's special nicknames for her. Everyone, who knows her, calls her Abby.

**Birthday:** She was born in 1979 and shares her birthday with Annie.

**Parents are:** John and Dawn Jackson

**Lives in:** Arizona

This is what Abby looks like – Light blonde, naturally curly hair (cut above her shoulders, so it's not all the way short), has baby bangs and to explain her face, she looks almost exactly like Annie and has small ears. She is also short for her age and skinny.

Abby is very emotional, has Asperger Syndrome (AS) and has a lot of developmental delays. She goes to a special school for children who have special needs and most of the time she seems younger than she really is.

Note: One thing all of my stories have in common is that there is at least one character, who has some kind of special needs. I have AS, so I'm good at writing for characters who have special needs.

Sometimes Abby will call Annie her Angel or just Auntie (without saying Annie).:)

Auntie Annie is her Advocate, Hero and her Mentor.

**About John:**

**Name:** John Jackson

**Birthday:** February 10, 1950

**Parents are:** Charles and Jenny Jackson

**Lives in:** Arizona

**About This Story:**

**Annie is going to spend some quality time with her niece, Abby, who she loves and misses VERY much. Abby will be staying with her, for the whole summer.**

**Chapter 1 – The Happy News**

It was early on a Saturday morning in the middle of May in 1989 and Annie was cooking breakfast when the phone rang.

Annie answered the phone. "Hello?" she asked.

"Hi Annie! Guess who?" the caller on the other end, asked.

Annie paused for a minute, then smiled as she realized who it was. "John? Is that you? It's been a long time since we've talked on the phone. How is everything?"

"Pretty good, how are you? Abby really misses you and wants to come and stay with you for her summer vacation. Would that be okay?" her brother John asked.

Annie smiled. "Are you kidding? I have been missing my little Angel so much! She is always welcome here with us."

John sounded very happy. "Okay, that will make Abby very happy."

Annie was excited. "I am glad. Eric and the children have been pretty good."

John sounded happy. "Abby will ride over with Mom and Dad when they come to spend the week with you. She only has two and a half days of school left, so she will be out by the time Mom and Dad leave to drive over there."

Annie was even more excited now. "Okay. I am so glad that Mom and Dad are coming out. I'm even more excited that they're bringing my sweet pea with them." She was smiling now.

John could hear her excitement. "I bet you are. Abby is even more excited than you are." He laughed. "Annie, hold on just a second. Abby wants to talk with you."

Annie smiled again. "Okay, bye John. I'll talk with you later. Love you."

John handed Abby the phone.

Abby was ecstatic. "Auntie Annie, I miss you, _SO MUCH_! I can't wait to spend the whole summer with you!"

Annie smiled. "Hi, Sweetheart! I can't wait to see you. We are going to have so much fun together."

Abby smiled. "Yeah, I'm going to bring my Nintendo and Super Mario game and maybe we could play some games."

Annie laughed. "Okay, Sweetie, but we'll have to talk with Uncle Eric before we can play them, just to make sure they aren't violent."

Abby giggled. "Okay. Super Mario isn't bad, so I hope he won't mind if we play it." She smiled. "I have Pac-Man too."

Annie grinned. "Okay Abby, Honey. I have to go and finish getting breakfast ready. I will talk with you soon. Love you!"

Abby still had one more thing to say to her aunt. "Oh – one more thing. I'm also bringing my pillow, my sleeping bag and my new air mattress that I got for Christmas. It's not too big so it would fit in any room at your house. I really like sleeping on a air mattresses." She smiled. "I'm going to bring some more games for us to play, but they're not bad, so Uncle Eric should like them." She giggled.

Annie smiled again. "Okay, Sweetie. Talk with you soon."

Abby smiled. "Okay. I wuv you, too Auntie Annie. See you soon."

Annie hung up the phone and then smiled at Eric. "Honey, I have some wonderful news!"

Eric looked at Annie suspiciously. "And what would that be?"

Annie smiled an even bigger smile. "Abby is coming to stay with us for the whole summer! I am so excited."

Eric smiled. "That is wonderful news."

Annie smiled again. "I can't wait to see her. I miss her and love her _so much_. She is my little sweet pea."

Eric nodded. "She is such a sweet girl."

Back at Abby's house, she hung up the phone and started skipping through the house singing, "I'M GOING TO STAY WITH AUNTIE ANNIE FOR THE SUMMER…!"

Back at the Camden's a little later that morning, the family sat at the table eating breakfast.

Annie smiled as she spoke up. "Children, your cousin Abby is going to come and visit us for the summer. She will be riding with Grandpa and Grandma when they come to visit next week."

Lucy looked puzzled. "Is Abby going to miss the last few weeks of school?"

Annie shook her head. "No, Honey, she only has two and a half days of school left. She goes to a special school and their schedule is a little different than yours."

Lucy spoke again. "Why does she go to a special school?"

Annie looked at her daughter. "Abby has some special needs, so she goes to a special school that helps her learn better. Sometime after we get the kitchen cleaned up, I'll try to explain it a little more."

Lucy nodded. "Oh. Okay."

After they all finished breakfast, the children went back upstairs to play while Eric and Annie cleaned up the kitchen.

**Note – I went to a regular school with Special Ed classes, so I don't know if special schools have any special schedules where they get out earlier at the end of each day or school year. I just made that up.:)**


	2. Chapter 2 Learning About Abby

**Note:**

**Of all the chapters I will type for this story, this will probably be one of the hardest because Annie will be teaching the children about Abby and her special needs. I was going to have Annie teach them specifically about Asperger Syndrome (AS), but then someone (in one of my Yahoo Groups) reminded me that people didn't really know about AS until 1994. I'm just going to have her explain Abby as an individual and not AS in general. If you want to learn about AS, you can follow the link from my profile to my WebPage and there's some links where you can learn about it.**

**Chapter 2 – Learning About Abby AKA The Family Meeting**

Later that day, Annie and Eric had almost completed the job of cleaning the kitchen. The Camden children were still upstairs, playing.

Annie spoke to Eric. "I'm not sure how to explain Abby's special needs to our children so they will understand her. I don't want anyone making fun of her or playing any mean tricks on her."

Eric nodded and looked at Annie. "Yeah, I understand. Matt might remember her. I don't know about Mary and Lucy and Simon is only three."

Annie looked nostalgically at the ceiling. "I remember baby sitting her when she was a baby and she was always trying to crawl in my lap and hug me. Now she does hug me – a lot." Annie smiled. "We always have so much fun together whenever I baby sit her."

Eric smiled at his wife. "Abby? Yeah, she really loves you."

Annie smiled at Eric. "Yeah, I guess we better call a family meeting, now that the kitchen is cleaned up."

Eric nodded. "Yeah."

Eric and Annie headed up stairs to find all of their children playing in the hallway

Annie smiled at the children. "Children, we're going to have a family meeting. I need to talk with you about your cousin Abby."

Matt smiled. "Can we please keep the bowling pins set up so we can play after the meeting?"

Eric smiled at his son. "Yeah, that would be okay. Let's go to our room. We'll talk there."

All of the Camden children agreed. "Okay."

Everyone followed Annie into her bedroom and took a seat on Eric and Annie's bed.

Annie looked at her children. "Do you remember your cousin, Abby?"

Matt nodded. "Yeah."

Mary looked at her mother thoughtfully. "Yeah, but not very much."

Lucy thought for a moment. "I'm not sure..."

Annie looked around at her children. "Do you remember, at breakfast, how I told you that Abby has special needs?"

Mary looked at her mom. "Yeah. What kind of special needs?"

Annie looked at her children. "This is very hard for me to explain, but I'm going to try the best way I know how. Besides having some learning problems, Abby also has trouble with her social and communication skills and certain other things. Abby sometimes does and says some things that may seem weird or strange to most people and it's very hard for her to make friends."

Matt looked at his mother. "Do you want us to teach Abby some social skills? We can if you want."

Annie looked at her son. "No, Honey, I just want all of you to know about Abby and her special needs. She will turn ten in August, but sometimes she will seem a lot younger than she really is. Also, I don't want anyone making fun of her or playing any mean tricks on her. Your Uncle John tells me that the other children in their neighborhood aren't very nice to her."

Lucy looked at her mother. "I won't make fun of her or do anything bad."

Annie smiled at Lucy and then moved on with the conversation. "She has some neurological differences, so her brain doesn't process information the same way ours does – or as fast as ours. She's very sensitive to the way certain things feel, certain sounds, sights, tastes and smells."

Mary spoke up as she looked at her mother. "What kind of stuff is she sensitive to?" she asked.

Annie looked at her daughter. "One of the things she doesn't like, is the sound of a balloon popping. She's also very sensitive to high pitched sounds, bright lights, static shocks and things like that."

Lucy spoke up. "Does she like hugs?"

Annie smiled. "Yes, Honey. She _loves_ to hug people – she hugs me a lot whenever I see her. Sometimes she has trouble with communication, so she may not always understand what someone is saying to her and sometimes it's hard for her to express herself so we can understand her. Other times she will understand, but it will take her a little longer to process what is said to her, so she may not respond right away."

Matt nodded. "Okay."

Annie smiled at Matt and then continued on. "Another thing you might notice is that she doesn't make eye contact when talking with people. I think her teacher at her special school was trying to teach her about that, but she didn't seem to feel comfortable with it so she didn't say anymore about it."

"Is she shy?" Lucy asked.

"She is when she's around some people, Honey. There's one more thing I need to tell you about Abby, and I think that's all. Abby doesn't like certain surprises." Annie replied.

Mary looked at her mother and asked "What kind of surprises?"

Annie gave another example. "Not very long ago, one of the times I was baby sitting her, we were getting ready for bed when the power went out. Everything went black and quiet and she screamed – it scared her because it happened so fast without warning and she didn't have time to process what just happened. Luckily, I was able to find my way in the dark and I walked over to her and hugged her so she wouldn't be scared anymore."

Lucy looked at her mother. "Why did the power go out?"

Annie smiled at her daughter. "I'm not sure, Honey. I think it was really windy that night."

Lucy grinned. "Oh – Okay."

Mary gave her mother a pleading look. "Can we please go and play, now?" she asked.

Annie nodded. "You can in a minute, Honey. I just wanted all of you to know about your cousin and not to pick on her or make fun of her or anything mean." Annie suddenly remembered one more thing. "She was also born with some hip problems, so she doesn't walk straight – I thought one of you might ask about that when you see her, so now you'll know. Does anyone have anymore questions?"

Lucy looked at her father. "Daddy, why are you so quiet?"

Matt nodded in agreement. "Yeah, whenever we have a family meeting, you're always the one who talks the most."

Eric looked around, trying to hold back a smile. "I let your mom do the talking this time since Abby's dad is her brother, so she knows her better than me."

Lucy nodded. "Oh – Okay."

Annie looked around at each of her children. "Does anyone have anymore questions or anything?" she asked.

Matt shook his head. "I can't think of any."

Mary agreed. "No." she said.

Lucy spoke up. "No."

Eric looked at his wife. "No. Just as long as all of you understand what your mom is telling you and to be nice to your cousin."

Lucy agreed. "Okay."

Matt agreed. "Okay. I won't do anything mean to her."

Mary nodded. "I won't be mean to her."

Annie smiled. "Okay, I guess you can all go play, now."

Matt, Mary, Lucy and Simon ran out of the room to play and Eric left to do some church business while Annie went to wash some sheets and blankets for Abby to use with her air mattress.

**Some more notes:**

**As far as I know, hip problems aren't part of AS – I just added that as another thing she was born with (I was born with hip problems, too).**

**I hope I didn't make Annie sound mean or anything when she explained Abby and her special needs - some of it was hard for me to put into words.**

**I didn't give Simon any conversation parts because he's only three in this story, so I'm not sure what to type for him.**

**I probably could have done a little better at typing this chapter but I could always re type it later and then replace it.**


	3. Chapter 3 Getting Everything Ready

**Thank you, KrazyPirateGurl for helping me re-type this chapter.:)**

**Chapter 3 – Getting Everything Ready**

It was late in the afternoon on Tuesday and Annie was making Abby's favorite desert, peanut butter pie, when Matt walked in.

"Mom, what are you making?" Matt asked.

Annie smiled. "I'm making a peanut butter pie, but it's for tomorrow evening when Abby, Grandpa and Grandma get here. It's Abby's favorite."

"Oh. Can I please have my friend, Jeff spend the night?" Matt asked.

"No, Honey, it's a school night, but he can probably come over and spend the night on Friday." Annie answered.

"Okay." Matt said with a sigh. "I wish I could get out of school early, like Abby."

"Oh Honey, it won't be too much longer, you only have two and half weeks left and then you'll be out, too. Abby has a different schedule because it's a special school that she goes to." Annie replied.

Before Matt had a chance to answer, Lucy ran in the kitchen with Mary chasing her and then (Lucy) tried to hide from her.

"I can still see you." Mary said to Lucy.

"Mommy, what's for dinner?" Lucy asked.

"We're having meat loaf, mashed potatoes and corn, and please don't run in the house." Annie replied.

"She started it." Lucy pointed to Mary.

Mary sat down on the floor. "I'm getting tired of running, anyway." She said.

"Okay, Sweetie, but please don't chase each other through the house anymore." Annie replied.

"Do you want to play outside after dinner?" Mary asked Lucy.

"No, Honey, it will be dark out by then. I don't even have dinner started yet." Annie told the girls.

"That's okay. I don't want to go outside anyway. She might chase me again." Lucy told Annie.

"Mom, is it time for Full House?" Mary asked.

Annie looked at the clock. "It will come on in ten minutes, Honey."

"I guess I'll go watch it, too." Matt said.

"Okay. Sesame Street will be over by then, so Simon probably won't mind if we change the channel." Mary replied.

Matt, Mary and Lucy left to go in the living room, when the phone rang.

Annie picked up the phone. "Hello?" She asked.

"Auntie Annie! I wanted to call you again before I go to your house. I can't wait to see you." Abby smiled.

Annie smiled. "Hi, Sweetheart! I am glad that you called and I can't wait to see you, too. I am making your favorite desert, peanut butter pie, for tomorrow after dinner."

"Thank you, Auntie Annie! Can we please have pizza for dinner, too?" Abby asked.

"Okay, Honey. I'll put lots of cheese and mushrooms on one of them, for you." Annie replied.

"Awe, thank you, Auntie Annie! Tomorrow at school, we're making art projects and I'm making mine for you." Abby said smiling even more.

"Thank you, Sunshine. I have to go now and finish dinner." Annie said still smiling.

"When I get to your house, I have a lot of new stuff that I want to show you. I love you, Auntie Annie. See you tomorrow." Abby told Annie before blowing kisses over the phone.

Annie blew kisses back to Abby. "I love you too, Sweet Baby. See you tomorrow." As soon as Annie hung up the phone, she got out the food and started making dinner.

Later that night at dinner, Annie told the children about the sleeping arrangements for when Charles and Jenny would be staying with them. "Your dad and I talked this morning, and we decided to let Grandpa and Grandma sleep in our room. Your dad, Matt and Simon will share a room, Mary and Lucy will have their room and I'll share a room with Abby."

Matt was surprised. "You and dad aren't sleeping in the same room?"

"Just while Grandpa and Grandma are here, Honey." Annie replied.

"She can sleep in our room if she wants." Mary offered.

"That's very nice of you, Sweetie, but I'm going to share a room with her while Grandpa and Grandma are here and then after they leave, we'll see. I'm not sure how well she remembers all of you and sometimes she gets really shy around people she doesn't see very often." Annie replied smiling.

"Okay." Mary replied.

After dinner, all the children went upstairs to play a little before getting ready for bed while Eric and Annie started cleaning up the kitchen.

"I don't know how I'm going to help Abby hide her night time special need. I don't want our children finding out – I don't know how they would react and I don't want Abby to be embarrassed." Annie told Eric in a quiet voice to make sure none of the children could hear her.

"Yeah. If you want, we can hide them in our closet. I know the children probably won't look in there – if they did, they would get in trouble since they're not supposed to be back there, anyway." Eric replied.

"Yeah. After mom and dad leave, I was thinking of having her put her air mattress on the floor by my side of the bed and she could sleep in our room, if that would be okay with you." Annie asked.

"Yeah, I guess that would be okay, since it's only for the summer." Eric replied.

"Okay." Annie said as she put another plate in the dishwasher.

After Eric and Annie finished cleaning up the kitchen, they went upstairs to tell the children, it was almost time to start getting ready for bed.

It was late in the morning on Wednesday and the older children were already at school, Eric was in his office, and Simon was watching Sesame Street in the living room. Annie just finished getting everything ready for Abby and was about to leave for the grocery store, when the phone rang.

"Hello?" Annie asked.

"Hi, Annie, it's me." Jenny replied.

"Oh, hi, mom!" Annie smiled. "I was just getting ready to go to the grocery store to pick up some food for dinner tonight and a few other things."

"Okay. Your dad and I are leaving to pick up Abby at her house and then we'll be on our way. I just wanted to call you before we walk out the door." Jenny replied.

"Okay. I can't wait to see you, dad and Abby. I'm making homemade pizzas for our dinner tonight and I made the peanut butter pie yesterday." Annie said.

"That sounds just wonderful, Annie. I can't wait to see you, too." Jenny replied.

"Okay. I guess I better get going now, Eric is in his office and Simon is in the living room watching Sesame Street. I want to get back before Eric has to go somewhere, so there will be someone here to watch Simon. I love you and I'll see you this evening." Annie told her Mom.

"Okay. I love you, too. We're heading out the door now, so we'll probably see you in a few hours." Jenny replied.

"Okay." Annie said. She hung up the phone and then went into Eric's office to tell him she was leaving. "Honey, I'm leaving for the grocery store, now, and Simon is in the living room watching Sesame Street. He's not going with me, but I'll be back soon."

"Okay." Eric replied.

Annie kissed Eric on the head and then picked up her keys as she walked out the door.

**A few more notes:**

**For this story, Eric doesn't have an office at the church – just the one at home. That's so he can be around more for Simon in case Annie needs to go somewhere (like the grocery store).**

**I've never heard them mention where in CA, Glen Oak actually is, so for this story, I'm going to pretend that it's right by the Arizona border (so close that if someone left Glen Oak, going East, they would be in Arizona after driving for only a minute or two).**


	4. Chapter 4 Abby's First Night

**Notes:**

**My online friends, Danielle R, Heather and Chrissy helped me with some parts of this story.**

**About the title – It doesn't mean that Abby has never been to Eric and Annie's house before. It just means that it's her first night for this particular visit.**

**Chapter 4 – Abby's First Night**

It was later in the afternoon on Wednesday, so Annie had been back from the store for awhile. Eric was still in his office doing some church business and Annie just finished putting the first pizza in the oven, when she decided to go outside for a few minutes to watch her children play in the back yard. Simon was playing quietly in his sandbox and Matt, Mary and Lucy were playing tag. Annie walked out and started to watch them play, when Lucy ran up to her. "Mommy, we're playing tag! Do you want to play with us?"

"No thanks, Sweetie. I just put the first pizza in the oven and Abby, Grandpa and Grandma should be here any minute. Just make sure all of you stay in the yard and don't go near the road." Annie replied as she hugged Lucy.

"Okay." Lucy said.

"Come on, you're supposed to be chasing us!" Mary yelled as she ran over to Lucy.

Before Lucy could answer, they heard something that sounded like a car coming and slowing down, so they ran out to the front yard to see who it was.

"I think they're here." Mary said.

Annie looked to see who was pulling in the driveway and then smiled. "It's them! They're here!"

In the car, Abby saw Annie in the yard and smiled. "Auntie Annie!" As soon as the car was parked, she got out and ran over to Annie.

"Hi, Sweetheart!" Annie smiled as she picked Abby up and gave her a BIG hug.

Abby hugged Annie back. "I missed you _so much_, Auntie Annie."

Annie kissed Abby on the head. "I missed you too, Sweet Baby."

Almost a minute later, Charles, Jenny, Matt, Mary, Lucy and Simon walked over to Annie and Abby.

"Didn't you just see Abby a few months ago, when you drove to her house and baby sat her?" Matt asked.

"Yes I did, Honey, but that was awhile ago." Annie replied.

Abby nodded. "A _really_ long time!"

"Oh." was all Matt could reply.

Annie smiled. "Hi, Mom! Hi, Dad! It's so great to see you."

Jenny smiled back at her daughter. "It's great to see you, too, Annie."

Charles nodded in agreement. "Hi, Annie. It's great to see you, too."

"I thought I heard someone pull in the driveway." Eric said as he came up behind everyone from the house. "Hi, Abby. You must have really missed your Auntie Annie."

Mary nodded. "Yeah, she's been smiling ever since she got out of the car."

"Yeah, that was a really long time for me to not see my Angel." Abby said as she gave Annie another hug.

Jenny looked at her daughter. "You're all she talked about in the car on the way over here."

Charles nodded in agreement. "Hey there, Eric. How have you been?"

Eric smiled. "Hi, I've been good. How about yourself?"

Charles shrugged. "Well, I can't complain."

Jenny walked over to Eric and gave him a hug. "Hi Eric."

"Hi Jenny" Eric replied.

"I guess we should take your bags in the house and then check on the pizza to make sure it doesn't burn." Annie told Abby as she walked over to the car.

Abby smiled. "Okay. I don't like burnt pizza."

Annie smiled and gave Abby one more hug before putting her back down. "I know, Honey."

"Okay." Abby said as she started to pick up more bags than she could handle.

"Here, Sweetie, before you get hurt, I'll help you carry some of these bags." Annie said taking another bag from the car.

Abby tripped and fell as she started to walk back to the house with Annie, but luckily she landed on the bag that had her pillow in it, so she wasn't hurt.

Annie gasped a little. "Oh, are you okay, Baby Girl?"

Abby smiled. "Yeah. I fell on my pillow."

"Okay." Annie said as she helped Abby stand up again. She picked up the heaviest bag along with the one she was carrying before, while Abby took the ones with her pillow, blanket and pajamas. They carried the bags in the house and put them back down on the floor by the stairs. Simon, who was right behind them, noticed the Nintendo games in one of the bags and started to go through it.

"Simon, Honey, please stay out of Abby's bags." Annie said as she put one of the games back in the bag.

Abby smiled. "That's my fun bag! That's where I have all my games and other fun stuff I brought for us to do."

"What is that?" Simon asked pointing to the game.

"That's Abby's Nintendo game, Honey. She plays it on the TV, but we can't get it out right now, because it's almost time for dinner." Annie replied.

"Grandpa and Grandma are coming in!" Abby announced as Eric walked through the door with Charles, Jenny, Matt, Mary and Lucy following behind him.

Annie walked over to Charles and Jenny and gave them each a hug. "I'm so glad you can spend a week here, with us. Matt, Mary, Lucy and Simon were talking, a couple days ago, how they can't wait to see you and spend a lot of time with you."

"I am glad to see them, too. I have missed my grandchildren so much. Abby is our little angel, but so are Matt, Mary, Lucy and Simon." Jenny replied.

"I'm just going to help Abby take her bags upstairs and then we'll be right down. The pizza will be ready, soon." Annie said as she and Abby picked up the same bags they carried in from outside.

"Okay." Charles and Jenny both replied as they followed Matt, Mary and Lucy into the kitchen.

"Simon, have you been playing in your sandbox?" Eric asked.

"Yes." Simon replied.

"Let's go upstairs and get you cleaned up before dinner." Eric told Simon as he took his hand and led him upstairs. Simon started to run ahead to the bathroom and was about to open the door when Eric led him away to the room he was sharing with Matt. "We have to pick out your clean clothes, first."

Charles, Jenny, Matt, Mary and Lucy were all sitting down at the kitchen table while they waited for Annie, Abby, Eric and Simon to come back downstairs. "Grandpa, Grandma, let's play outside until the pizza is done." Lucy suggested.

"Okay, but let's wait until your Mom comes back so she will know where we are." Jenny replied.

Back upstairs, Abby picked up the rest of her bags from the hallway. "Auntie Annie, where am I sleeping?" She asked.

"I'll be sharing this room with you, while Grandpa and Grandma are here. They will sleep in mine and Uncle Eric's room and Uncle Eric will share a room with Matt and Simon." Annie replied.

Abby smiled as she took her Care Bears pillow out of the bag and put it on the bed. "I get to sleep in the same room, as you? We can have a slumber party!"

Annie smiled back. "Yes Honey, we can have a slumber party, but we can't stay up too late and we have to stay quiet so we don't keep your cousins awake because they still have school, okay?"

"Okay." Abby said as she took her art project out of a bag, and smiled. "Look, what I made for you at school!"

"That's very pretty! Thank you, Sweetheart!" Annie smiled as she hugged Abby and then kissed her on the head. "I'll put it in my room a little later, but for now, let's go downstairs and check on the pizza. After dinner, we'll get your air mattress and everything set up for you, okay?"

"Okay." Abby replied. "When we come back in here, I have some new stuff to show you."

Annie smiled. "Okay."

"I'm getting hungry. I can't wait to eat your pizza. It's my favorite, kind!" Abby said.

Annie smiled. "I know, it is – thank you, Sweet Baby."

Annie and Abby left the room and went downstairs to the kitchen where they saw Charles, Jenny, Matt, Mary and Lucy sitting at the table and talking.

Abby smiled as they were getting closer to the kitchen. "Your pizza smells good, Auntie Annie!"

"Yes, it does, Sweetheart." Annie agreed.

"Where are Dad and Simon?" Mary asked when she saw Annie and Abby coming down the stairs.

"Your Dad is giving Simon a bath, Honey. Simon was playing in his sandbox earlier, and Dad wanted to get him into clean clothes and everything before dinner. They will probably, be down soon." Annie replied.

"Oh. Okay." Mary said.

"The first pizza is done, if anyone wants to grab a napkin and paper plate." Annie told everyone as she took the pizza out of the oven. "I bought some A and W Root Beer and Seven Up if anyone wants to have some with their pizza. We can all eat outside on the picnic tables if you want."

"Okay!" Lucy replied.

"Which pizza is it?" Matt asked.

"It's the one with half pepperoni and half sausage. The one I just put in the oven is half ham, half mushrooms. The last one will be half ham, half sausage." Annie replied as she put the next pizza in the oven.

"Auntie Annie, can I please have some Root Beer?" Abby asked.

Annie smiled. "Yes, you can, Baby."

"I want pepperoni!" Mary said.

Matt nodded. "Me too!"

Lucy Laughed. "I want sausage."

Charles smiled. "I think I'll have sausage, too."

"I'll wait for the one with ham." Jenny said.

"Okay." Annie said as she poured some Root Beer in Abby's favorite Care Bears cup. "What does everyone want to drink?"

Abby smiled as Annie handed her the cup of Root Beer. "Thank you, Auntie Annie."

Annie kissed Abby on the head, before taking three more cups out of the cupboard.

Matt watched as Annie set the cups on the counter. "I want Root Beer!"

"Me too!" Mary agreed.

Lucy laughed. "Me Three!"

Abby looked at Lucy and started to giggle. "You're, funny!"

After Matt, Mary and Lucy had their pizza and Root Beer, they were ready to go outside. "Are you going to come outside with us?" Lucy asked her Grandpa and Grandma.

"You go ahead and we'll be right out as soon as the next pizza is done." Jenny replied.

"Actually, I think I'll go out with them, now." Charles said as he grabbed his plate and stood up.

"Okay!" Lucy smiled as she followed Matt and Mary to the door.

"Please eat at the picnic table, and stay with Grandpa or come in the house if you finish before the rest of us come out. I don't want anyone playing near the road." Annie told them before they could open the door.

"Okay." Matt replied as he walked out the door, with Mary, Lucy and Charles following him.

"The first pizza is done." Abby announced as she watched Eric and Simon walk in the kitchen from the stairs. "Do you want some?"

"Which one is it?" Eric asked as he walked over to the Island where Abby was sitting.

"Half of it is pepperoni, and the other half is sausage, Honey." Annie told Eric as she cut some pizza for Simon.

Abby smiled and pointed to Annie. "Our pizza is next! My half is the one with mushrooms!"

"I'll have sausage." Eric said as he took a paper plate and napkin from the counter.

"Okay." Annie said as she poured some Root Beer in a cup for Simon. "The children are outside eating at the picnic table with Dad, if you and Simon want to join them. I'll be out with Abby and Mom as soon as the next pizza is done."

"Okay." Eric replied as he poured himself some 7–Up. "I'll have to come back in for my pizza and Seven Up since I'll be carrying Simon's for him."

Annie smiled as she took Simon's plate and cup. "I'll carry Simon's pizza and Root Beer for you."

"I want to come, too." Abby said as she started to get up.

"Oh, I'll be right back, Sweetie, I'm just taking this out for Simon so he doesn't spill anything." Annie told Abby as she followed Eric and Simon out the door.

"Okay." Abby replied as she walked over to the table where Grandma Jenny was sitting.

Outside, Charles, Matt, Mary, and Lucy were eating their pizza and talking. "Abby looks like Mommy, only shorter." Lucy said.

"Yeah, they do look a lot alike." Matt said, before taking another bite of his pizza.

"Yeah." Mary agreed.

Everyone stopped talking and continued eating their pizza, when Simon came running out the door, with Eric and Annie following behind him. "Here's your pizza and Root Beer, Honey." Annie said as she set Simon's plate and cup on the table.

"I can help Simon, now, if you want to go back in the house with Abby and your Mom." Eric told Annie, as he set his food and drink on the picnic table.

"Okay." Annie replied as she started to walk back in the house. "We'll be out, soon."

"Okay." Eric said as he sat down next to Simon and started eating.

After the second pizza was done, Annie took it out of the oven and started cutting it into slices. "Can I please, have a big piece and sit by you when we eat our pizza?" Abby asked.

"Yes, you can Sweetheart." Annie replied.

Abby smiled. "Thank You, Auntie Annie!"

As soon as everyone had their pizza and drinks, they left the kitchen to join Eric, Charles and the children. "Another pizza is done and another one is in the oven if you want more!" Abby announced as she skipped over to the picnic table with Annie and Jenny behind her.

"Here's your food, Sweetie." Annie said as she set Abby's plate and cup on the picnic table.

"What are we having for desert?" Lucy asked.

"Peanut Butter Pie." Annie replied as she sat down next to Jenny.

"I was in the kitchen yesterday, when Mom was making it." Matt told everyone.

After a few more minutes of eating, Abby was still hungry. "Can I please, have some more pizza?" she asked.

Mary was surprised. "She ate that, already? She hasn't been out here, _that_ long!"

Annie kissed Abby on the head. "Yes, you can, Sweetheart. I'll go check on the pizza, and bring out what's left of the other two."

"I was just going in the house for something, anyway, I can check on the pizza and get the other ones." Eric offered as Abby started to get down from Annie's lap.

"Okay, thanks, Honey." Annie replied.

"Thank you, Uncle Eric." Abby said as she sat back down again.

"Mom, can we go play until the desert is ready?" Mary asked.

"As long as you stay in the back yard, where we can see you." Annie replied.

"Okay." Mary and Lucy ran off to play.

"Auntie Annie, when we're done eating, will you please push me on the swings?" Abby asked.

"Yes, I will, Sweetie, but only for a little while. We still have to get your things unpacked and everything, okay?" Annie replied.

Abby smiled and gave Annie a hug. "Okay."

"Who, wants more pizza?" Eric asked as he came out of the house carrying the pizzas.

Abby smiled. "I do!"

"I'll have another piece, too, Honey." Annie said.

After everyone finished their pizza and desert, and the kitchen was cleaned up, Annie went upstairs to help Abby unpack some of her clothes, when she noticed she didn't have anything to wear to church. "Did you bring any dresses or skirts, Honey?"

"I don't know. I think my Mommy has them." Abby replied.

"Oh." Annie said as she was trying to think of how she could get something for Abby to wear on Sunday.

"Auntie Annie, I'm getting tired. I want to lay down in my bed. Can I please, have my pajamas in case I fall asleep?" Abby said as she rolled up in the blanket on her air mattress bed.

Annie took some pajamas out of Abby's bag. "Here, Sweetie. I think we're almost done and then I have to go make sure your cousins are ready for bed, since they have school tomorrow."

"Okay. Then will you, please, come back in here with me?" Abby asked.

Annie kissed Abby on the head. "Yes, I will, Sweet Baby."

Abby smiled. "Okay."

A few minutes later, Annie was almost finished helping Abby when they heard a knock on the door. "Hold on a minute, Abby doesn't have her pajamas all the way on yet."

"Okay." Eric replied from behind the door. "I'll let our children know it's time to start getting ready for bed, now, since it's almost nine-o-clock."

"Okay, Honey." Annie answered. "I'm just helping Abby with a few things and then I'll be right out."

"Okay." Eric said as he walked away from the door.

Abby smiled. "This air mattress, is my favorite bed. I always sleep like a baby. You can sleep on here, too, if you want. It looks like there is enough room."

Annie smiled back as she gave Abby another hug. "Okay, Sweetie, I will. I just have to go help your cousins get ready for bed, and then I'll be back, okay?"

"Okay." Abby replied as she rolled up in the blanket again.

Annie left the room and was about to check on Mary and Lucy, when she saw Eric in hallway. "Oh, Eric – I wanted to ask you something. Abby doesn't have any dresses or skirts with her – would you mind if I take some of our money and take her shopping tomorrow to buy her a few sun dresses for church?"

"No, that would be okay." Eric replied as Charles and Jenny walked over and joined the conversation.

Annie smiled. "Okay. We'll probably eat out, somewhere and then see a movie or something, too. If you want, I was thinking we could meet you, Mom, Dad, Lucy and Simon somewhere for lunch and then we should be done eating in time, so you can pick Matt and Mary up from school."

"Okay. Lucy gets out of Kindergarten, at Eleven-Forty-Five, so I'll pick her up and then we'll meet you, Abby, Simon and your Mom and Dad – where should we meet?" Eric asked.

"I was thinking we could take the children to McDonalds. I know Abby likes their chicken nuggets and Happy Meals." Annie replied.

Jenny smiled. "Sounds good to me."

"Me, too." Charles agreed.

"Okay." Eric said.

Charles turned to Annie. "I can watch Simon, tomorrow, while you and Abby are shopping." He looked over at Eric "And while you're doing church business."

"Yeah, I can help watch him, too." Jenny told Annie. "We can help watch all of them any time, if you and Eric want to do other things during the day. That would also give us more time to spend with them, since they don't see us as much as Abby does."

"Okay. Just remember that the older ones have school, but then Memorial Day is coming up, so by this Friday afternoon, they won't have to go back to school until Tuesday. I also think Friday is an early release, but I'll have to check to make sure." Eric told Charles and Jenny.

"Yeah, it is, Honey – they get out at One-fifteen." Annie said.

"Okay." Jenny said.

"Okay." Charles added.

"Well, I'm going in to check on Mary and Lucy and make sure they're ready for bed and then I'll check on Matt and Simon." Annie said as she hugged her Mom and Dad. "Goodnight, everyone."

"Goodnight, Annie." Jenny replied with a smile.

"Goodnight." Charles said with a wink.

"Matt is almost done getting ready for bed, and I helped Simon, so he should be ready, too." Eric said as he turned to go back into the room he was sharing with Matt and Simon.

"Okay." Annie replied. "I'll be in their room to tell them Goodnight, after I check on Mary and Lucy."

"Okay." Eric said as he walked away.

Annie left the hallway and walked into Mary and Lucy's room, to find them in their pajamas, and coloring pictures. "It's time for bed, girls."

Lucy started to put her things away. "That's what Daddy told us, so I got my pajamas on, and Mary, got hers on, too."

"Did you, brush your teeth?" Annie asked.

"Yes." Mary replied as she hopped into bed.

Lucy smiled. "Yeah."

Annie gave Lucy a hug and whispered "Goodnight, Sweetie."

"Goodnight, Mommy" Lucy whispered back with a smile.

Annie turned and hugged Mary "Goodnight, Honey" she whispered.

"Goodnight" Mary replied.

Annie turned their light off and left the room to go check on Matt and Simon. "Goodnight." She said as she hugged Simon and then Matt.

"Goodnight, Mommy." Simon replied.

"Goodnight, Mom." Matt said as he started to walk back over to his bed.

After everyone was in bed, Annie changed into her pajamas, brushed her teeth and then went back to the bedroom that she was sharing with Abby. She saw that Abby looked like she was sleeping, so she kissed her on the head before turning off the light.

Abby was still half-awake. "Goodnight, Auntie Annie. I love you."

"Goodnight, Baby Girl." Annie replied. "Did you brush your teeth?"

Abby started to crawl out of bed. "No, I think I fell asleep."

"Oh." Annie said as she got up and followed Abby into the bathroom. She picked up the stool by the sink for Abby to stand on. "Here, Sweetie, you can stand on this to brush your teeth."

"Okay." Abby replied as she put sparkly toothpaste for kids on her Care Bears toothbrush.

"Tomorrow, I'm going to take you shopping and buy you a few sun dresses to wear to church, after that, we'll meet, Grandpa, Grandma, Uncle Eric and your cousins, Lucy and Simon for lunch at McDonalds and then I'll take you to see a movie." Annie explained while Abby brushed her teeth.

Abby smiled. "Okay!"

"Shh…" Annie whispered. "Everyone is in bed, now, so we have to stay quiet so they can get to sleep, okay, Honey?"

"Okay." Abby whispered back.

After Abby finished brushing her teeth, they went back in the bedroom and turned out the light.

"Goodnight, Auntie Annie. I love you." Abby said as she hugged Annie.

Annie hugged Abby. "Goodnight and I love you, too, Sweet Baby." She tucked in the sheets and blankets around Abby and then kissed her on the head. A few minutes later, they both fell asleep until about 1 AM, when Annie woke up to a noise that sounded like someone was moving around. She looked over and saw Abby kicking the blankets. Abby sat up quickly, out of breath.

"What's wrong, Baby?" Annie whispered.

"I'm cold, I'm thirsty and I had a bad dream." Abby replied in a tired voice.

Annie put her arm around Abby and then kissed her on the head. "Do you want some warmer pajamas, or an extra blanket, Honey?"

"Both." Abby said as she rubbed her eyes.

"Okay." Annie replied as she helped a very tired Abby into some warmer pajamas. "I'll get you a cup of water from the kitchen and then you can tell me about your dream, there, so you don't have to talk so quiet, okay, Sweetie?"

"Okay. Can we, please bring some water up here, in case I get thirsty, again?" Abby asked.

Annie kissed Abby on the head. "Yes, we can, Sweetheart." She answered.

Abby smiled. "Okay."

Annie smiled back, as she continued to help Abby into some warmer pajamas. When she was done, she carried her downstairs to the kitchen.

"I dreamed that all the other children, who live on my road, were calling me really bad names and throwing stuff at me. I tried to run away really fast, but I kept getting my feet caught on something so I couldn't go anywhere." Abby explained as she sat on the kitchen counter by the sink watching Annie fill a cup with water. "It felt like they were attacking me."

Annie hugged Abby before handing her the cup of water. Abby took a few drinks and then Annie picked her up and carried her back upstairs. After Annie put Abby down on her air mattress bed, she took a blanket from the hall closet. "Here, Sweetie." She said as she walked back in the room and put the blanket on top of the other ones that Abby used to cover up with.

"Auntie Annie?" Abby said before taking another sip of her water.

"What is it, Honey?" Annie asked.

"I don't understand, what's wrong with me and why the other children are so mean. One of them called me a disease and someone else told me that everyone in the world wishes I was dead." Abby started to cry.

Annie tried not to cry, while pulling Abby into another hug.

Abby was still crying. "Is it true?" She asked.

"No, Sweet Baby, no." Annie replied as she continued to hold Abby and started to rock her. "I'm just really upset that anyone would say something like that to my baby niece. I remember the day you were born. It was the best birthday gift I have ever received – or any gift. You're my special baby and you always have been; since the day you were born. I've felt this way since the first time I saw you and held you – I knew right away we would always have a special relationship and connection. You will always be special to me my Sweet Angel."

Abby was still crying a little. "I feel safe, here, with you. I wish, I could stay here, forever."

Annie kissed Abby on the head. "I know, Baby…shh…"

Annie continued to hold Abby, and rock her, while she cried herself to sleep and then Annie soon fell asleep, too.


	5. Chapter 5 The Phone Call

**Notes:**

**This is the first chapter, where you will read about a new character. Her name is Alice and you will be seeing her – and other new characters – in future chapters.**

**Chapter 5 – The Phone Call**

It was sunrise, just hours after Abby's nightmare, and Annie was starting to wake up. She looked over at Abby, who was still sleeping, and wondered what she was dreaming about and hoping it wasn't another bad dream. She tucked in the sheets and blankets around Abby, to make sure she was warm, enough, and then kissed her on the head. She looked at her watch and realized it was almost an hour later than the time she usually gets up. She hurried out of bed and ran to check the other rooms, to make sure her children were awake, not seeing her Mom standing in the hallway. "Good morning, Annie." Jenny said.

Annie turned around. "Oh, good morning, Mom."

"Are you looking for Mary and Lucy?" Jenny asked.

"Yeah, I overslept and wanted to make sure the children are up, so they're not late for school." Annie replied.

"They're all downstairs with your dad and Eric. I'm making breakfast for them, if you want to get some more sleep." Jenny explained.

"Oh, thanks, Mom." Annie said as she hugged Jenny. "I think I'll take a quick shower and get dressed, before Abby wakes up."

"Okay." Jenny said as she turned to go back downstairs.

Before leaving to take her shower, Annie walked back in the room for a few things.

"Auntie Annie, where are you going?" Abby asked in a tired voice.

Annie sat down next to Abby and kissed her on the head. "I'm just going to take a shower and get dressed, Sweetie, and then I'll come back, okay?"

"Okay." Abby said as she rubbed her eyes. "I want to sleep some more. I'm still tired."

Annie hugged Abby and gave her another kiss on the head. "Okay, Baby." She tucked in the sheets and blankets around Abby again, before leaving the room. When she finished her shower and everything, she went back in the room to check on Abby.

Abby sat up in bed and started to rub her eyes.

"Good morning, Sweetie." Annie said as she sat down next to Abby.

"Good morning, Auntie Annie." Abby smiled. "I think I'm ready to get up, now." 

"Okay, Sweet Baby." Annie replied as she hugged Abby and kissed her on the head. "You'll need to take a bath and you can use the one in mine and Uncle Eric's bathroom, okay?"

"Okay." Abby said as she hugged Annie.

"After we get your clothes picked out, I'll go start your water and get you a towel and everything." Annie said as she stood up so she could help Abby pick out some clean clothes.

"Okay." Abby replied as she crawled out of bed and followed Annie.

"Okay, Sweetie, let's go start your bath water." Annie said after they finished picking out Abby's clean clothes.

"Okay." Abby said as she skipped through the hall, Eric and Annie's bedroom and to their bathroom. "Auntie Annie, you're my hero. I thought I was going to cry forever last night."

"Sweetie, does your Daddy do anything about the other children in your neighborhood?" Annie asked as she set Abby's clean clothes down and then hugged her.

"He yells at them sometimes, but I don't think he scares them away. Sometimes he scares me, when he yells at them." Abby replied.

"Oh..." Annie said as she tried to think of a way she could help stop the other children from being mean to Abby while she started the water in the bathtub.

"I'm getting hungry." Abby said as Annie helped her out of her pajamas.

"Do you want me to make you some oatmeal, after your bath, Honey?" Annie asked.

Abby smiled. "YEAH! Can I please, have some toast with butter and strawberry jam, too?"

"Yes, you can, Sweetheart." Annie replied as Abby stepped into the bathtub. After Abby finished her bath, Annie picked up around their room before going downstairs for breakfast. Eric was almost ready to walk out the door to take Matt, Mary and Lucy to school as Annie and Abby entered the kitchen. Annie walked over and hugged everyone before she started to make breakfast.

"I love you, Mommy." Lucy said.

Annie hugged Lucy and kissed her on the head. "I love you, too, Sweetie."

"I'll be back soon." Eric said as he grabbed his car keys. Your Mom and Dad are in the living room, with Simon, who is playing with his toys."

"Okay. We're just now getting breakfast, so we'll probably still be here when you get back." Annie replied before she kissed Eric.

"Okay." Eric said as he walked out the door.

"Why didn't Simon go to school?" Abby asked.

"Oh, he's too young to go to school, for now, Honey. He'll start pre-school this fall." Annie replied as she got out the oatmeal and two teal, microwave bowls.

"Oh." Abby said as she climbed up on a stool to sit down at the Island.

Annie held up two packets of oatmeal. "Do you want Maple and Brown Sugar or Apples and Cinnamon?"

Abby smiled. "Maple and Brown Sugar!"

"Okay." Annie said as she smiled back.

"I'm thirsty, can I please have some orange juice?" Abby asked.

"Yes, you can, Sweetheart." Annie replied. She poured the orange juice and was about to put it back in the refrigerator when phone rang. She quickly handed Abby her cup of orange juice. "Hold on, Sweetie, I have to get that."

"Okay." Abby replied before taking a drink.

Annie picked up the phone. "Hello?"

"Hi, Annie. This is Alice, your cousin."

Annie smiled. "Oh, hi, Alice! It's been a long time since we talked. How have you been?"

"Everything is great. We've been getting a lot of rain, here in Michigan, lately. What about you?" Alice asked.

"We're all great. Mom, Dad and Abby are here and I was just getting some breakfast." Annie replied.

"Would you, Eric and your children like to come to Michigan, and stay in our other cottage for the summer?" Alice asked.

"Well, actually, we have Abby, staying with us for the whole summer. She won't be leaving, until after Labor Day." Annie said.

"Oh, that's okay, you can bring Abby, too. We're having a family reunion in July, and we would really like for all of you to be there. We were also wondering if Eric would like to help teach Vacation Bible School at some of the churches in our area." Alice explained.

Abby jumped down from stool she was sitting on at the Island and went through the whole kitchen, pretending to eat everything.

"Okay." Annie answered. "I'll talk with Eric, and then call you back and let you know if we're coming."

"Okay." Alice said.

"Well, I guess I should get going, now, I think Abby is trying to tell me that she's really hungry." Annie said after watching Abby start her trip around the kitchen for the second time.

Alice laughs. "Okay, Annie. I'm looking forward to your call. I hope you can come. Talk with you soon."

"Okay. I hope we can come, too. If I don't call you today, it will probably be tomorrow." Annie explained.

"Okay. Talk with you later." Alice replied.

"Talk with you later." Annie said before hanging up the phone.

"Are we going somewhere?" Abby asked.

"My cousin – she's actually your Grandma's cousin – wants us to come and spend the summer in their other cottage, in Michigan." Annie replied as she opened the packets of oatmeal. "Do you want to go to Michigan, Honey?"

"If you go, then I want to go, too." Abby said as she climbed back up on the stool by the Island.

"If any of us go, we'll all go, but first we have to talk with Uncle Eric to make sure we saved up enough money and everything." Annie said as she put the oatmeal and milk into the two teal microwave bowls.

"Okay. If we can go, can we leave as soon as Uncle Eric says we can?" Abby asked.

"No, Sweetie, your cousins still have two weeks of school left, but if we can go, we'll leave as soon as they're out of school for the summer." Annie replied as she put the first bowl in the microwave.

"Oh." Abby said as she watched Annie put some bread in the toaster. "I want mine light brown."

"I know you do, Sweetheart." Annie said as she hugged Abby and kissed her on the head.

"Can I please have milk and raisins in my oatmeal, too?" Abby asked.

"Yes, you can, Honey." Annie replied as she took the butter and strawberry jam from the refrigerator.

Abby jumped down from the stool again and started skipping through the kitchen, singing. "I'm spending the summer with my Auntie Annie…we might go to Michigan…!"

"Abby, Sweetie, your food is almost ready." Annie said as she sat the milk on the counter by the raisins.

"Okay." Abby giggled. "I'll sit down when it's ready."

"Here's your oatmeal, Honey." Annie said as she sat the hot bowl of oatmeal on the table. "It's a little hot, so be careful, okay?"

Abby smiled as she skipped over to the counter. "I'll cool it off, with some milk!"

"Here, Sweetie, let me get the milk – it's still too full and I don't want you to drop it and hurt yourself." Annie said as she picked up the milk and handed Abby the box of raisins. "You can carry these."

"Okay." Abby said as she took the raisins and skipped back over to the table.

Annie poured some milk into Abby's oatmeal. "Here's your milk, Sweetheart."

Abby smiled as she hugged Annie. "Thank you, Auntie Annie."

"You're Welcome, Sweet Baby." Annie said as she hugged Abby.

"I'm back." Eric said as he walked in the door.

Abby smiled. "We might go to Michigan, Uncle Eric!"

"Alice called while you were gone – she wants all of us to come and stay in her other cottage for the summer. They're having a family reunion in July and she said they would really like for all of us to be there. She also asked if you could help teach Vacation Bible School at some of the churches in the area. I told her I would talk with you and then call her back." Annie explained before he had a chance to answer Abby.

"What about, Abby?" Eric asked.

"She said Abby can come, too." Annie replied.

"Okay." Eric said. "I know a few people who might be able to fill in for me, on Sundays – I'll call them and set up a meeting and then I'll let you know."

"Okay." Annie said as she took her oatmeal out of the microwave.

Abby smiled. "Do you want some oatmeal and toast, Uncle Eric? Auntie Annie makes good food."

"No thanks, Honey, I already ate before I took your cousins to school." Eric replied. "I have some church business to do for now and I heard that you're going shopping today."

Abby was still smiling. "Yeah, Auntie Annie is going to buy me some sun dresses."

"Yeah, I heard – have fun shopping." Eric said as he looked back before going to his office.

"Okay." Abby said before taking another bite of her oatmeal.

After putting the butter and strawberry jam on her toast, Annie took her plate and bowl of oatmeal and sat down next to Abby at the table. "First we're going to go shopping, then we're going meet Grandpa, Grandma, Uncle Eric, cousins Lucy and Simon for lunch at McDonalds and then I'll take you to see a movie."

Abby smiled. "We get to have fun all day!"

"Well, most of the day, Sweetie." Annie said. "I still have to make dinner for all of us tonight."

"Okay." Abby replied. "I'll watch Sesame Street, while you make dinner."

Annie put her arm around Abby and hugged her while kissing her on the head. "Okay, Sweetheart."

After Annie and Abby finished eating their breakfast, they went upstairs to get ready to leave for the store.

Abby smiled as she walked back in the room. "I'm ready to go, Auntie Annie."

"Here, Sweetie, it might be cold in some of the stores, so we'll bring this with us." Annie said as she took a sweatshirt from Abby's bag.

"Can I please, take my blanket, too?" Abby asked.

Annie smiled. "Yes, you can, Honey. But we can't take it in the store, okay?"

"Okay. I hope no one steals it, while we're at the store." Abby said as she wrapped her blanket around her.

"Oh, I don't think anyone will steal it, Sweetheart, but we can put it in one of the bags in the back seat, okay?" Annie replied as she hugged Abby and kissed her on the head.

"Okay." Abby smiled.

Annie smiled back as she took Abby's hand. "Okay, let's go tell Grandpa, Grandma, Cousin Simon and Uncle Eric we're leaving, now."

"Okay." Abby replied as they left the room and walked downstairs to Eric's office.

"We're leaving, now." Annie told Eric as they walked in and saw him sitting at his desk. "We'll meet you at McDonalds later."

"Oh, Annie – I called everyone and set up a meeting for tomorrow." Eric said.

"Okay, thanks, Honey. See you later." Annie said as they left Eric's office.

"See you at McDonalds!" Abby yelled.

"Not if I see you, first." Eric said as he smiled and waved.

"He means that he might get to McDonalds before us." Annie explained after seeing the confused expression on Abby's face.

"We better hurry, so we can beat him." Abby said, starting to walk a little faster, causing Annie to walk faster, too.

"Okay." Annie smiled as they walked through the living room, where Charles, Jenny and Simon were sitting on the couch. "We're leaving."

"Okay" Charles and Jenny both replied.

Simon was too busy playing, so he didn't notice Annie and Abby pass through the living room, or hear them walk out the door.

Abby smiled as she looked out her side of the window and saw the town carnival being set up. "Auntie Annie, they're building rides!"

"Oh that's our town carnival, Sweetie." Annie replied as she continued driving. "They set it up every year for Memorial Day weekend."

"Can we please, go?" Abby asked, still smiling.

"Not today, Honey, but I might be able to take you tomorrow." Annie replied. "We'll see, okay?"

Abby smiled. "Okay! If we go to Michigan, what are we going to do?"

"It will be a lot like camping." Annie answered.

Abby smiled again. "I _LOVE_ camping! This will be my favorite summer!"

"We're almost there." Annie said as she smiled back.

"Okay." Abby said as she looked out the window.

A few minutes later, Annie pulled into a parking space at the store. She stepped out of the car and went around to the other side, and opened the door for Abby.

"Do I need my sweatshirt in this store?" Abby asked as she took Annie's hand, helping her out of the car.

"I don't know, Honey." Annie replied. "We better take it, just in case they have the air conditioner turned on."

"Okay." Abby said as she took her sweatshirt from the car.

Annie took Abby's hand, as they walked in the store. They looked around for a few minutes, but couldn't seem to find any sundresses.

"Let's ask someone if they have sun dresses." Abby suggested.

"I don't see anyone who works here, Sweetie." Annie said as she looked all around her.

They were about to start looking in another part of the store, when they heard a voice behind them. "Are you looking for something?"

"We can't find any sun dresses." Abby replied in a shy and quiet voice while looking down at the floor.

"I think we have some over there – we also have some dressing rooms back there, if you and your mom want to go in so you can try them on." The Sales Clerk said as she pointed to the back of the store.

Annie smiled. "Okay, thanks."

Abby was surprised that Annie didn't tell her she was her niece, not her daughter. "She thinks you're my Mommy. We should tell her you're my Auntie, so we're not telling a lie."

"Oh, it's okay, Honey. She doesn't know us, so she was just guessing." Annie smiled. "Let's go find you some sun dresses."

"Okay." Abby replied as they started walking to the back of the store.

Annie and Abby shopped for a little more than an hour, when Annie looked at her watch and saw that it was almost time for Eric to pick Lucy up from kindergarten. "Sweetie, it's almost time to meet everyone for lunch. We should pay for everything, soon."

"Okay." Abby replied. "I think my feet are starting to hurt."

"Okay, Sweetheart. Let's go." Annie said as she hugged Abby and kissed her on the head. After she paid for everything, they left the store and walked back out to the car.

Abby smiled as they walked over to the car. "It's really warm, out here."

"Do you want me to help you take off your sweatshirt, Sweetie?" Annie asked.

"Yeah." Abby replied.

Annie helped Abby take her shirt off and then unlocked the car.

"Ouch!" Abby said as she started to trip while getting in the car.

Annie gasped a little as she helped Abby stand up. "Are you okay, Honey?"

Abby looked like she was about to cry. "I don't walk good."

Annie gave Abby another hug and then kissed her on the head, before helping her into the car. After they left the store, they drove for about fifteen minutes when they pulled into the McDonalds parking lot. "I don't see your Uncle Eric or Grandpa and Grandma anywhere."

Abby smiled as she started clapping her hands. "We won, we won!"

"Does your leg still hurt, Sweetie?" Annie asked as she pulled into a parking space and turned off the car.

"Just a little." Abby replied as she put her hand on her leg. "I think my feet hurt, more."

Annie unhooked her seat belt, and slid over to Abby and helped her onto her lap.

"Can we please eat outside, so we will be warm?" Abby asked as she looked out the car window and saw the picnic tables.

"I'll ask Uncle Eric, and Grandpa and Grandma, okay, Honey?" Annie replied.

"Okay." Abby smiled. "Maybe we could eat our food in the park!"

Annie smiled back. "We'll see, Sweetie."

"Okay." Abby said as she rested her head on Annie and closed her eyes.

Annie continued to hold Abby, until they heard a knock on the window.

"I saw you, first, Uncle Eric!" Abby giggled.

"Abby wants to eat her food at the park." Annie said after Eric opened her car door.

"It's okay with me, if it's okay with your Mom and Dad." Eric replied.

"I want to go to the park!" Lucy said as she appeared from behind Eric.

"Okay, Sweetie." Annie answered. "We'll check with Grandpa and Grandma, first, okay?"

"Okay." Lucy said as Charles and Jenny pulled into the parking lot. "There's Grandpa and Grandma!"

"Okay, let's go and get some lunch, Sweetie." Annie said as she helped Abby off her lap and then out of the car.

Abby smiled. "Okay."

"Abby wants to eat her food in the park, and so does Lucy." Annie told Charles and Jenny as they walked over to her car.

"It's okay with me." Charles replied.

"Yeah, we'll just order our food, and get it to go." Jenny added.

"Okay." Annie said as they all walked into McDonalds together. After everyone ordered their food and everything, they left McDonalds and met at the park.

"Abby wants me to take her to our town carnival – I told her I might be able to take her tomorrow." Annie told Eric as she picked up a big blanket out of the back of her car.

"You can take her tomorrow, and then we'll all go, on Monday after the morning parade." Eric suggested.

"Okay – But one of us has to pick Matt, Mary and Lucy up from school." Annie said.

"My meeting isn't scheduled until later in the afternoon, so I'll pick them up – and I'll carry that blanket for you, too." Eric offered.

Annie smiled as she handed the blanket to Eric. "Okay, thanks, Honey."

"So, can we please go, Auntie Annie?" Abby asked as she ate her chicken nuggets while sitting in the front seat of Annie's car.

"Yes, we can, Sweetheart." Annie smiled as she opened the car door for Abby.

Abby put her container of chicken nuggets down on the seat, and then started clapping her hands.

"Come on, Sweetie, I have the blanket so we can all sit on it." Annie said as she took Abby's hand and helped her out of the car.

"Okay." Abby said as she picked up her container of chicken nuggets off the seat of the car.

"Where are Mom and Dad?" Annie asked as Eric walked back over to the car.

"I think our children dragged them to the playground." Eric replied. "Do you want me to go and get them?"

"Yes, please tell them it's time to eat. Thanks, Honey." Annie said as she and Abby walked over to the blanket.

"Okay." Eric said as he turned to walk over to the playground.

Abby was dancing around in circles as they walked over to the blanket until she heard a buzzing noise. "Auntie Annie, I think there's a bee over here."

"Let's run fast over to the blanket, where it's not as sunny or bright." Annie said as she took Abby's hand and then stopped and looked the other way for a few seconds. "He just flew that way, Honey, so he won't bother us."

"Okay." Abby said as they ran over to the blanket and sat down. "I hope he doesn't try to eat our food." Abby covered her chicken nuggets with her hands as Lucy and Simon came running over to the blanket ahead of Eric, Charles and Jenny.

"Here's your food." Annie said as she took some fries and more chicken nuggets out of the bag.

"Where are my fries?" Lucy asked.

"You're going to split them with your brother." Annie replied as she split the fries.

"Oh." Lucy said.

"Don't let the bees eat your food." Abby warned everyone as Eric, Charles and Jenny sat down. "Can I please, have some fries?"

Annie dumped some of her fries on a napkin, for Abby.

"Thank you, Auntie Annie." Abby said as she picked up her last chicken nugget.

Annie smiled as she put her hand on Abby's back and kissed her on the head. "Your welcome, Sweetheart."

After everyone finished their food, they started to clean up so they could leave.

"I should get going, I have a few things I need to do before picking Matt and Mary up from school." Eric said as he looked at his watch.

"Can I please, go with Grandpa, Grandma and Simon?" Lucy asked.

"Yeah, you can come with us." Jenny answered.

"Okay." Eric agreed.

Charles, Jenny, Lucy and Simon walked ahead, to the parking lot.

"We should be home in a couple hours." Annie told Eric as she looked at her watch opening the car door for Abby. "The movie starts in fifteen minutes."

"Okay." Eric replied as he walked away to his car. "I'll meet you at home."

"Okay." Annie said as she opened the door on her side of the car. "See you later, Honey!"

"See you at your house, Uncle Eric!" Abby yelled after she opened the window on her side.

"Okay, Abby, see you later!" Eric yelled back as he pulled out of the parking lot.

Annie pulled out of the parking lot, behind Eric, and then left to take Abby to see a movie.

"Do you want to share some popcorn, Sweetie?" Annie asked as they stood in line.

Abby smiled. "Yeah. Can I please, have some soda, too?"

"Yes, you can, Sweetheart." Annie replied as she picked Abby up and gave her a hug. "Do your feet still hurt?"

"Yeah" Abby said as she hugged Annie. "I hope they stop hurting when the movie is over."

After everything is paid for, they leave to find a seat while they wait for the movie to start.

"It's cold in here, can I please have my blanket and sweatshirt?" Abby asked as she sat down.

Annie took Abby's blanket and sweatshirt out of her bag. "Here, Sweetie." She said as she handed them to her.

A few minutes later, the movie started.

One hour and 45 minutes later, Annie and Abby walked back out to the parking lot.

"What time is it?" Abby asked.

"It's almost three-o-clock, Sweetie." Annie replied as she started the car.

"Did I miss, Sesame Street?" Abby asked.

"No, Honey, that comes on at four – you have a little more than one hour." Annie said as she pulled out of the parking lot.

Abby smiled. "Can I please, listen to some country music?"

Annie turned on the radio and let Abby go through the stations until she found one that played country music. As soon as she found one, she started dancing and giggling. "Look, Auntie Annie, I'm dancing while sitting down!"

Annie smiled at her as she turned onto another road. Abby continued to dance and giggle for the rest of the ride home. "I'm going to show everyone, my new sun dresses!" She said as they pulled into the driveway.

"Okay, Honey." Annie smiled as she took off her seat belt.

"Look, what Auntie Annie bought for me!" Abby said as soon as she walked through the door, holding up one of her dresses when she saw Jenny.

Jenny smiled. "Abby, that's beautiful!"

"The girl who works at the store, thinks Auntie Annie is my Mommy!" Abby giggled as she showed Jenny the rest of her dresses. After Jenny had seen all of her new sundresses, Abby went skipping through the house to show everyone else, while Annie talked with her Mom for a few minutes.

A few minutes later, Annie went upstairs and joined Abby, who was showing off her new sundresses.

"Where, do you want me to put these?" Abby asked holding up the sundresses as soon as she saw Annie.

"Let's put them in our room for now, Sweetie, and tomorrow I'll wash them so you can wear one of them to church on Sunday." Annie replied as they walked back to the room they were sharing.

"Okay." Abby said as she handed the dresses to Annie. "Will you, please play Nintendo with me, until it's time for Sesame Street?"

Annie looked at her watch. "I can for a little while, and then Grandma is going to help me get dinner started, okay, Honey?"

"Okay!" Abby smiled as she hugged Annie. "What are we having?"

"Green bean casserole, chicken and some left over mashed potatoes." Annie replied as she picked Abby up and hugged her.

Abby smiled. "You always make my favorite foods! I can't wait until it's time to eat."

"Thank you, Sweetheart!" Annie smiled back as she left the room, still holding Abby. "Let's go play Nintendo, now, and then Grandma and I will start dinner, while you're watching Sesame Street."

"Okay." Abby smiled.

Annie and Abby played Nintendo, until Simon walked in the room a few minutes before it was time for Sesame Street to come on and tried to change the channel.

Abby looked at Annie, hoping she wouldn't let Simon mess up their game.

"Hold on, Honey, we're almost done." Annie told Simon. "Abby is going to watch Sesame Street with you when it comes on."

Abby finished the level she was on, and then decided she didn't want to miss the beginning of her favorite show. "I want to stop for now, Auntie Annie."

"Okay, Sweetheart." Annie replied. "I need to get dinner started, anyway. I'll be in the kitchen if you need me, okay?"

"Okay." Abby said as she turned off the game.

Annie hugged Abby and Simon and gave them each a kiss on the head, before leaving the room. A few minutes later, while making dinner, Matt walked in. "Mom, why is Abby watching Sesame Street? Isn't she the same age as me?" He asked.

"Yes, Honey, she will be ten in August, but it's okay to like it at any age." Annie replied as she opened the package of chicken.

"Oh." Matt said.

"You can go watch it with them, if you want." Annie suggested.

"No, way! Can I call Jeff?" Matt asked. "You told me he could come over tomorrow."

"I know, I did, Honey, but I'll talk with your Dad a little later and see what he says." Annie replied as she continued to get dinner ready.

Matt sighed. "Okay. I hope he says yes. I'll just go up to my room and read."

"Hey, wait – do you have any homework?" Annie asked.

"The reading, is part of my homework." Matt said as he started to go upstairs.

"What are your sisters doing?" Annie asked.

"I think they're playing in their room." Matt replied as he stopped and turned around.

"Okay." Annie said as Matt started to walk upstairs again. She turned to Jenny. "I think Abby finds it more entertaining, than educational."

"Yeah, I think it's good that she watches it, instead of some of the other stuff they show on TV." Jenny said as she opened a can of green beans.

"Yeah..." Annie said as she thought for a minute. "I just hope none of the other children make fun of her for watching that. I wish there was something I could do to stop them from hurting her."

"Yeah, me, too." Jenny replied. "I'm glad that she gets to stay with you for the summer, so she can get away from them for awhile."

"Yeah..." Annie was still thinking of how she could help, so the other children wouldn't be able to hurt Abby anymore.

Annie and Jenny continued to have conversations about different topics, as they finished making dinner.

About one hour later, Abby walked in the kitchen with Simon following behind her. "Where is Grandpa?" She asked.

"He went somewhere with Uncle Eric, Sweetie." Annie replied.

Abby was confused. "Are they going to miss dinner?"

"No, Honey, they should be back by the time Grandma and I have it ready." Annie said.

"I'm getting hungry, again. I hope we can eat soon." Abby said as she climbed up on the stool by the Island.

"I want, some crackers." Simon added.

Annie took two packets of cheese and crackers out of the cupboard and handed one to Abby and the other one to Simon. "Here, you can eat these until its time for dinner."

Abby smiled as she opened the cheese and crackers. "Thank you, Auntie Annie."

Annie smiled as she hugged Abby. "You're welcome, Sweetheart."

Abby and Simon ate their cheese and crackers, while Annie and Jenny continued getting dinner ready.

Later that night after everyone had dinner and the kitchen was cleaned up, Annie went upstairs and found Abby almost asleep on her air mattress bed. "Sweetie, are you feeling okay?"

Abby opened her eyes and looked up. "Yeah, I'm really tired, Auntie Annie."

"Here, let's get ready for bed, in case you fall asleep." Annie suggested as she handed Abby her pajamas.

"Okay." Abby replied as she sat up and started rubbing her eyes.

"Would you like to lay in bed and listen to some Children's Bible Stories on a tape, after I finish getting my pajamas on?" Annie asked as she shut the bedroom door so Abby could get her pajamas on. "I'll lay down and listen, too."

Abby smiled. "Okay. I love you, Auntie Annie."

"I love you, too, Sweet Baby." Annie said as she hugged Abby and kissed her on the head.

After Abby was finished getting ready for bed, Annie left the room, to get her pajamas on. When she came back, she found Abby in her bed, in a deep sleep. She pulled the covers over her, gave her a kiss on the head, and then left to check on Matt, Mary, Lucy and Simon.

**Notes:**

**The town where I live has a carnival every year on Memorial Day weekend, and that's where I got the idea to add it in this story.**

**I couldn't think of what movies were showing, in May 1989, so I just didn't mention a title for the movie they saw.**

**I just have one more chapter to re-type and then I'll be caught up to where I am, now – Chapter 7 – hopefully that one will be done soon, too.**


	6. Chapter 6 The Decision

**Chapter 6 – The Decision**

It was Friday morning, the day after Annie received the call from her cousin, and she woke up to the feeling of someone tickling her and the sound of giggling. She looked over and saw Abby and then sat up, "Good Morning, Sweetheart."

"I'm ready for my morning bath and then can I please have some fried eggs on toast?" Abby asked as she crawled into Annie's lap and hugged her.

"Yes, you can, Baby. Let's go pick out your clothes and get your bath water started." Annie replied as she smiled and hugged Abby.

Abby smiled as she stood up. "Okay!"

"After your bath, I'll take your new sun dresses downstairs, so they can be washed." Annie told Abby as she helped her pick out some clean clothes.

"So, they'll be in the washer getting clean, while we eat breakfast?" Abby asked.

Annie smiled as she closed Abby's bag. "Yes, they will, Honey." Before, taking Abby's clean clothes to the bathroom, she checked the other rooms to make sure Matt, Mary and Lucy were all awake. When she saw the rooms were all empty, she caught up with Abby, who was skipping through the hall on her way to take her bath.

"Does Uncle Eric know if we can go to Michigan, yet?" Abby asked as she started to unzip her pajamas.

"Not, yet, Sweetie. Later this afternoon, he'll meet with a few people who might be able to fill in for him at the church while we're gone. If he can get someone to fill in for him, we can go, but if he can't, then we won't be able to go." Annie replied as she turned on the water for Abby's bath.

Abby smiled as Annie helped her out of her pajamas. "Oh. I hope we can go. That will make it my favorite summer! What are we going to do there?"

"Uncle Eric is going to help teach Vacation Bible School some of the time and there will be a family reunion in July. You'll get to meet a lot of your cousins at the family reunion." Annie replied as she continued to help Abby.

"How old are they?" Abby asked.

"You have a lot of cousins on that side of our family, Sweetie, so I'm not sure how old everyone is. I think there might be at least one or two that are your age, though." Annie explained.

"Are they going to stay in the cottage with us, too?" Abby asked as she stepped into the bathtub.

"No, Honey." Annie replied. "We'll only see them at the family reunion in July. Cousin Alice's cottage isn't big enough for all the people who will be at the reunion, but it has five bedrooms, so it will be big enough for all of us."

"Is Alice my cousin, too?" Abby asked.

Annie smiled as she folded Abby's pajamas. "Yes, she is Sweetie. She's also my cousin and your Daddy's cousin."

After Abby finished her bath, Annie picked up around their room and then took the sundresses downstairs to be washed.

"Hey, mom, did you ask Dad if Jeff can come over today?" Matt asked when he saw his Mom and Cousin coming down the stairs.

"Yes, I did, Honey. We talked about it last night. After school, we'll let you call Jeff and we can work something out." Annie replied as she carried Abby's sundresses to the laundry room.

Matt was confused. "Why does something have to be worked out?"

"If he stays here we would have to work out a place for him to sleep, since all the rooms are taken." Annie explained as she put soap in the washing machine.

"We can sleep on the living room floor in sleeping bags." Matt offered as he followed Annie back into the kitchen.

"You really want to sleep in the living room?" Annie asked.

"Yeah, I don't mind and I don't think Jeff will either." Matt replied.

"Okay. You can use the air mattress in the closet so you won't have to sleep on the floor." Annie said as she set the frying pan on the stove.

"You have a air mattress, too?" Abby asked.

"Yes, we do, Sweetheart." Annie replied.

Abby smiled. "Now we both have one!"

Annie looked back at Abby and smiled as she grabbed a stick of butter from the refrigerator.

"So, it's okay if he comes over and spends the night?" Matt asked.

"It's okay with me." Eric answered.

"Yes, he can come over, if you don't mind sleeping in the living room." Annie said.

Matt started to rinse his dirty dishes. "Okay."

"You can go ahead and get ready for school, Honey. I'll take care of the dishes later." Annie offered.

"Okay." Matt said as he turned off the water and left the room.

Abby smiled as she watched Annie set two eggs on the counter. "I want runny yoke."

"I know, Sweetheart." Annie smiled back.

"I'm done." Mary said as she picked up her cereal bowl.

"Me too." Lucy added.

"Mary, Lucy – as soon as Matt is done, I want you to go upstairs and brush your hair and comb your teeth –" Eric started to laugh, "I mean comb your hair and brush your teeth."

Abby started to giggle until she was laughing so hard she couldn't stop. "Uncle Eric, you're funny!"

Lucy laughed. "Okay."

"Okay." Mary replied as she took her empty bowl over to the sink.

Annie smiled as she walked over to Abby and hugged her. "Are you okay, Sweetie?"

"I can't stop laughing!" Abby replied as she tried to catch her breath.

Annie smiled and laughed a little as she continued to hug Abby. "Okay, I just don't want you to fall off the stool and hurt yourself."

Abby was still laughing. "Okay."

Annie kissed Abby on the head and then walked back over to the counter and continued making their breakfast.

A few minutes later Matt came down the stairs. "I'm ready."

"Mary and Lucy, you need to go upstairs, now, so you can finish getting ready. It's almost time to leave." Eric reminded his daughters.

"Okay, Daddy." Lucy said as she left to go upstairs.

"Do we get out early today?" Mary asked.

"Yes, you do, Sweetie. You get out at one-fifteen." Annie replied as she took the first egg out of the frying pan and put it on a slice of toast for Abby.

"Good, I'm getting tired of school." Mary said as she followed Lucy up the stairs.

Abby smiled as Annie put the plate down in front of her.

"Do you want some sausage?" Annie asked.

Abby smiled. "YEAH!"

Annie held out the frying pan with the sausage. "How many do you want?"

Abby was still smiling. "Three."

Annie smiled back, as she put three sausage links on Abby's plate and the rest of them on hers.

"Does Lucy still get out at her usual time?" Eric asked.

"Yeah, she does, Honey." Annie replied as she sat down next to Abby, and started eating.

"Okay." Eric said. "I'm not sure what I'll do in that hour and a half, while I wait for Matt and Mary. I guess I'll just make two trips to the school."

"We can take Lucy and Simon, and pick up Matt and Mary, if you want. That way you won't have to go to the school, twice." Jenny offered. "Then we could take them all out to lunch – or do they have lunch at school on days when they get out early?"

"I don't think they're having lunch today." Matt replied. "Now, we have to wait longer before we can eat."

Eric liked Jenny's idea. "Yeah, actually that will help, since the meeting is scheduled for one-thirty."

"Okay. Your Grandpa and I will take you, Mary, Lucy and Simon out to lunch after school." Jenny told Matt.

"Okay." Matt looked at Eric. "What meeting?"

"He's going to meet with a few people from church, Honey." Annie said before taking another bite of her toast.

"Oh." Matt said as he sat down at the table to wait for his Dad and Sisters to be ready to go.

Eric looked at his watch and then started to go upstairs, with Matt following him. "I'll go check on Mary and Lucy to make sure they brush their teeth and everything."

"Is that the meeting where he finds out if we can go to Michigan?" Abby asked.

"Yes, it is, Honey, but don't say anything to your cousins yet. Uncle Eric and I decided not to say anything to them until we know for sure if we'll be able to go." Annie replied.

"Okay." Abby said as she took another bit of her egg and toast. "I hope we can go."

Annie hugged Abby and then kissed her on the head. "I know you do, Sweetheart."

Abby picked up another sausage link off her plate, when she bumped her cup of orange juice with her elbow, accidentally knocking it over and spilling it. "OOPS! I'm really sorry, Auntie Annie, I didn't mean to do that."

"Oh, it's okay, Honey." Annie said as she stood up to get some paper towels.

"Can I please have some more orange juice?" Abby asked.

"Yes you can, Sweetie." Annie replied as cleaned up the spilled orange juice off the floor. "As soon as I finish cleaning up the orange juice, I'll get you some more, okay?"

"Okay. I'll try not to spill it this time." Abby said as she watched Annie clean up the mess.

After Annie finished cleaning up the orange juice, she rinsed her hands in the kitchen sink and then poured some more orange juice for Abby.

Abby looked like she was about to cry. "I wish I didn't knock stuff over and make messes all the time."

"It's okay, Sweetheart." Annie said as she hugged Abby and then kissed her on the head. "I know you don't mean to do any of those things."

"Oh." Abby said. "My Mommy doesn't like it when I make messes and spill stuff. Thank you, Auntie Annie."

"Your welcome, Honey." Annie said as she put the cover back on the orange juice. She started to put the orange juice back in the refrigerator as Eric came downstairs with Matt, Mary and Lucy following behind him.

"We're leaving, now." Eric said as he grabbed his car keys. "I'll be back soon."

"Okay." Annie replied as she hugged Eric, then Matt, Mary and Lucy.

Abby started waving her hand. "See you later, Uncle Eric!"

"See you later, Abby!" Eric replied as he closed the door behind him.

Abby continued to eat her breakfast, while Annie and Jenny cleaned up the kitchen. "Here, Sweetie, I'll put that in the dishwasher for you." Annie said a few minutes later.

"Thank you, Auntie Annie." Abby said before taking the last drink of her orange juice.

"You're welcome, Honey." Annie said as she rinsed Abby's plate, before putting it in the dishwasher. "I just have to put the clothes in the dryer and then we'll get ready to go to the carnival, Okay?"

"My sundresses?" Abby asked.

Annie smiled. "Yes, Honey."

"What will happen if they get done drying before we get back?" Abby asked as she followed Annie into the laundry room.

"I guess we could hang them outside, but that might not be a good idea since you have allergies. I'll just put them in the dryer and we can always turn it back on for about ten or twenty minutes when we get home." Annie said as she took the dresses out of the washing machine.

Abby smiled. "Yeah, then my dresses will be really soft, really warm and they will smell good, too."

Annie smiled back. "Yes they will, Sweetheart. There are two reasons why we turn them on for an extra ten or twenty minutes. We do that if they're still a little damp or if they have been in the dryer a long time after it shuts off so we can get the wrinkles out."

"Oh." Abby said.

"Come on, Sweetie, let's go get ready for the carnival." Annie said as she closed the dryer and turned it on.

Abby smiled as she started skipping through the kitchen. "Okay. Where did Grandpa and Grandma go?"

"I think they're in the living room with Simon." Annie replied as they started to go upstairs.

"Oh. What are they doing?" Abby asked.

"I don't know, Honey. They're probably playing, or watching TV." Annie said as they continued up the stairs.

"Oh." Abby said.

"All we have to do now, is brush our teeth and then I think we'll be ready to go." Annie told Abby.

"Okay. Can I please, have my hair put up, so it won't go in my face when I'm on the rides?" Abby asked when they entered the bathroom.

Annie picked out a hot pink hair tie from a small bag that Abby brought from home. "Do you want me to put your hair in a pony tail, Sweetie?"

Abby smiled. "Can I please, have pig tails?"

"I can put your hair in pig tails, but it will probably still go in your face." Annie explained. "Are you sure you don't want a pony tail – just for today?"

"Okay." Abby said. "Can I please, have it braided, too?"

"I can try, Honey, but your hair isn't very long." Annie replied.

"Okay." Abby smiled. "I hope it works."

After Annie was finished putting Abby's hair up for her, they brushed their teeth. "You're so beautiful, my Sweet Baby." Annie said as she picked Abby up and hugged her.

"So are you, my pretty Angel." Abby said as she hugged Annie.

Annie smiled. "Thank you, Sweetheart – but not as beautiful as you."

Abby giggled. "No, you're prettier."

Annie was still smiling. "No, you are."

Abby was giggling so much that she could hardly get her words out. "No, you are!"

Annie laughed. "Okay, let's go to the carnival."

"Okay." Abby replied as she continued to giggle.

Annie hugged Abby one more time before putting her back down and then they left for the carnival.

Abby smiled as they pulled into the parking lot. "I want to ride the tilt-a-whirl one hundred times!"

"I'm not sure if that would be a good idea, Sweetie. Don't you want to ride on some of the other rides?" Annie said as she pulled into a parking space and turned off the car.

Abby started giggling and laughing as she unhooked her seat belt, "I really like that ride."

Annie stepped out of the car and went around to the other side to open the door for Abby. "Let's go get some tickets."

Abby smiled. "Okay! I want to ride the tilt-a-whirl first."

"Okay, Honey, but not one-hundred times." Annie replied as she helped Abby out of the car.

Abby started giggling again as they walked over to stand in line for the tickets. "Can I please ride it ten times, since that's how old I'll be on my next birthday?"

"You can ride it ten times total, but you will probably want to ride some of the other rides, too." Annie suggested as they stepped in the ticket line.

Abby smiled. "What are you going to ride on, Auntie Annie?"

"I will probably ride the tilt-a-whirl with you one time and then the faris wheel and carousel." Annie replied as the line moved and they stepped closer to the ticket booth.

Abby was still smiling. "It's almost time to buy our tickets."

Annie smiled back. "Yes, it is, Sweetheart. We're going to have a lot of fun today." As soon as they were at the front of the line, Annie bought the tickets and they rode the tilt-a-whirl together with Abby laughing and giggling the whole time. After Abby rode the tilt-a-whirl for the fifth time, she decided to save the other five times for last. "Let's go in that big tent and jump around!"

"No, that's okay, you go ahead and get in line Sweetie." Annie replied. "When it's your turn, I'll hold your shoes for you so they don't get mixed up with all of the other shoes."

Abby smiled as she started to unhook her Velcro shoes. "Okay."

"Honey, let's wait until it's your turn before you take your shoes off, okay?" Annie said.

Abby stood in line and then took her shoes off when it was her turn to go in. She jumped around for a few minutes and then tried to walk over to the side, where she saw Annie standing on the outside, watching her. She kept falling down on her way over there, but finally made it when she decided to roll instead of trying to walk, "I wish you had one of these at your house!"

Annie smiled. "I think it would be fun to have one, too."

After Abby finished jumping around, she put her Velcro shoes back on and then they walked around to find the next ride. "Will you please, go on that big slide with me?"

Annie smiled. "Sure, I will, Sweetheart. Let's go take a rug and get in line."

"Okay." Abby said as she skipped over to where the rugs were. "I hope I don't get a shock off that silver part on the slide."

Annie and Abby each took a rug on their way to the top of the slide. "We only need one rug, Honey. Let's put that one back, okay?"

Abby put the rug back and they walked up the stairs to get in line. After going down the Super Slide a few times, they rode the faris wheel, then the carousel and then Abby took her last five turns on the tilt-a-whirl before they left to go back home.

Abby smiled as she stepped into the car. "Riding all those rides made me hungry!"

"Yeah, me too. Do you want some Macaroni and cheese and hot dogs?" Annie asked.

Abby smiled. "YEAH!"

Annie smiled back as she hugged Abby and then kissed her on the head. "Okay, Sweetheart."

"I wonder if Uncle Eric knows if we can go to Michigan, yet." Abby said.

"Not yet, Honey." Annie said as she pulled out of the parking lot. "Uncle Eric won't have his meeting until another hour and a half. We will know after his meeting is over."

"Okay." Abby said. "I hope the time goes by fast."

"When we get home, I'll start making our lunch and that will make the time go by fast." Annie said as she turned onto another road.

Abby smiled. "Okay. I can't wait until we can eat."

"I know, Sweetheart." Annie continued to drive for five more minutes, when she pulled into the driveway. They walked in through the kitchen and Annie started the water for the macaroni and cheese.

"Can I please, have something to drink? All that riding made me thirsty." Abby asked as she stepped up to sit on the stool by the Island.

"Yes you can, Baby Girl. Do you want Root Beer or Seven Up?" Annie asked as she opened the package of hot dogs.

Abby smiled. "I want Seven-Up, this time."

"Okay, Sweetheart." Annie said as she took two cans of Seven-Up from the refrigerator. "I'll have some too."

"Can I please drink mine out of the can?" Abby asked.

"Yes you can, Honey." Annie replied as she opened a can for Abby and then handed it to her. "Do you still want me cut your hot dog for you?"

Abby smiled. "Yeah – no bun, please."

"Okay, Sweetie. How many do you want?" Annie asked as she filled another pan with water to boil the hot dogs.

"I want two." Abby said as she watched Annie put the pan of water on the stove.

"Okay." Annie said as she took the first hot dog out of the package. I'll make four – two for you and two for me."

Abby smiled. "Okay. I love you, Auntie Annie."

Annie walked over to Abby and gave her a hug and then kissed her on the head. "I love you, too, Baby Girl." When the water started to boil, Annie went back over to the stove and continued to prepare her and Abby's lunch until it was ready. She took two plastic teal bowls out of the cupboard for the macaroni and cheese and a couple of paper plates for the hot dogs.

Abby smiled as she watched Annie cut the hot dogs for her. "This is going to be an awesome lunch."

"I hope so, Sweetie." Annie said as she handed Abby her plate.

Abby was still smiling. "It will – you always make the best foods!"

"Thank you, Sweet Baby." Annie said as she started scooping macaroni and cheese in one of the bowls. "How much do you want?"

Abby smiled as Annie continued scooping macaroni and cheese into Abby's bowl. "A little more, please."

Annie scooped some more into Abby's bowl, "Is that enough?"

"Yeah. I might want some more later." Abby said, before taking her first bite.

"Okay, Honey. Don't forget there is still some peanut butter pie left if you want some after you finish your lunch." Annie told Abby as she scooped some macaroni and cheese in her bowl.

Abby smiled as she put ketchup on her plate for her hot dogs. "Okay! I'll have that instead of more macaroni and cheese."

After Annie had everything, she sat down next to Abby. "About the time we finish eating, Uncle Eric should start to have his meeting."

"Okay! Let's eat fast!" Abby said before taking another bite of her macaroni and cheese.

"Sweetie, don't eat too fast because you'll get a tummy ache." Annie put her arm around Abby and kissed her on the head. "I don't want you to be sick and eating faster won't make the meeting happen faster."

After Annie and Abby finished eating their lunch, Abby went into the living room to play Nintendo, while Annie cleaned up the kitchen. While she was playing, she noticed three men, who she didn't know, follow Eric to his office. "Who is that little girl with the blonde curly hair?" One of them asked.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Tom." Eric said as he closed the door to his office. "She was just having lunch in the kitchen with Annie and I didn't see her walk into the living room. She's my niece – her name is Abby. Do you remember Annie's brother John?"

"I think so." Tom said as he sat down.

"Abby is John's daughter. She's staying with us for the summer." Eric explained.

"How old is she?" Tom asked.

"She will be ten in August – she has the same birthday as Annie and they are very close. Annie is like a second Mom to her – she's very protective of her." Eric replied as he sat down.

Tom was surprised. "She's almost ten? She looks like she's only about four or five."

"Yeah, she's not very tall for her age." Eric agreed.

"So, is she going to Michigan with you?" Tom asked.

"If we go. That's what I needed to talk with you about." Eric said as he continued his meeting. After they worked out the summer schedule and everything, Tom and the other two men left while Eric went into the kitchen to tell Annie the good news.

"Are we going to Michigan?" Abby asked as she followed Eric into the kitchen.

Eric smiled. "Yes, we are."

Abby smiled. "YES!"

Annie smiled as she ran over to Eric and hugged him. "I'm so glad that you were able to get everything worked out. We're going to have _so much_ fun and I can't wait to see all of my cousins again."

Abby smiled. "I want a hug, too, Auntie Annie."

Annie picked Abby up and gave her a hug and then kissed her on the head.

"Is it time for Sesame Street?" Abby asked as she hugged Annie.

"It will be on in two more hours, Sweetheart." Annie replied. "I just remembered something – I think we should go and check on your sundresses." Annie walked over to the dryer, still carrying Abby and let her sit on the washing machine, while she checked the dresses.

"Auntie Annie, I'm getting tired." Abby said. "If I went to sleep, would you wake me up when Sesame Street comes on?"

"Yes, I would, Honey." Annie said as she kissed Abby on the head. "You aren't feeling sick, are you?"

"No, I'm just tired." Abby replied.

"As soon as the dryer is done, why don't we go upstairs and lay on the air mattress and listen to children's Bible stories on one of my tapes." Annie suggested.

Abby smiled. "Okay!"

After the dryer stopped for the second time, Annie took Abby's sundresses out and put them each on hangers and then joined Abby on the air mattress to listen to children's Bible stories.

Later that afternoon, Annie was getting dinner ready when Matt walked in. "Mom, when are we going to pick up Jeff?"

"After dinner, Honey." Annie replied. "It's almost time to eat, now."

"What are we having to eat?" Abby asked as she walked into the kitchen from the living room. "It smells good."

"Tuna Casserole and cheesy potatoes." Annie continued to make dinner until everything was ready. Eric set the table, while Charles, Matt, Mary Lucy and Simon sat down, waiting to eat. Annie and Jenny walked in carrying the casserole and potatoes, with Abby following behind them. After everyone was seated and the prayer has been said, Annie told everyone the good news.

"How are we going to get there?" Mary asked.

"We're going to take a road trip." Annie said before taking another bite of her potatoes.

"When are we leaving?" Matt asked. "Is Abby coming, too?"

"Yes, Honey, Abby is coming, too. On your last day of school, when you get home, we'll drive to Phoenix and stay the night with Grandpa and Grandma and then we'll get up really early in the morning and leave." Annie explained.

Lucy smiled. "Are Grandpa and Grandma coming with us?"

"No, but we'll be flying to Michigan for the family reunion and then stay a few days." Jenny replied.

"That sounds like fun." Mary said.

After everyone finished their dinner, Eric took Matt to pick up Jeff, while Annie called her cousin and then cleaned up the kitchen with Jenny.

**Note: Chapter 7 probably won't be added as fast as the last few chapters, but I hope I can get it done and posted soon.**


	7. Chapter 7 Holiday Fun

**12/1/2005 – Thursday**

**Chapter 7 – Holiday Fun**

It was Saturday morning; the day after Annie told everyone about the trip to Michigan. Annie just finished what was left of their morning routine when she left the room, carrying a laundry basket of dirty clothes, on her way to the washing machine. She was almost on the last step coming down the stairs, when she saw Abby sitting at the Island pouring some milk into a strainer that had another bowl under it.

"Honey, what are you doing?" Annie asked as she walked over to Abby.

"I found a new way to make it so my cereal doesn't get soggy." Abby explained as she scraped the wet cereal out of the strainer and into another empty bowl. "And then if I want more, I'll use the same milk I used the first time."

"Okay, Sweetheart." Annie smiled as she hugged Abby and kissed her on the head.

Abby started giggling and laughing as she picked up her spoon and took a bite of her wet, crunchy cereal, while Annie took the dirty clothes to the laundry room.

"How did you know where to find the strainer and how to use it?" Annie asked as she walked back in the kitchen a few minutes later.

Abby was confused. "What is a strainer?"

"It's the one you scraped your wet cereal out of, Honey." Annie said pointing to the strainer.

"Oh, it's the bowl that has all the holes in it! Uncle Eric got it out for me. I saw Grandma use it when she didn't want the green bean juice when she helped you make our food." Abby giggled.

Annie giggled along with Abby as she put some bread in the toaster. "Do you want some toast, Sweetie?"

Abby smiled. "YEAH! I want lots of strawberry jam!"

"Okay, Sweetheart." Annie replied as she took out another slice of bread and put it in the toaster.

"Will you please, watch Sesame Street with me when it comes on?" Abby asked.

"I think Grandpa and Grandma are outside watching your cousins play. Do you want to go outside and play instead?" Annie suggested.

"Can we please do that after Sesame Street? I really want you to watch it with me." Abby smiled as she begged Annie.

"Okay, Honey." Annie replied as she opened the butter and then the strawberry jam. "But after that we're going outside, okay?"

Abby smiled. "Okay!"

After Annie finished making their breakfast, she sat down next to Abby and started eating as Lucy walked in from outside. "Mommy, where's Daddy?"

"He's doing church stuff in his office, Honey. Can I help?" Annie replied before taking a bite of her toast

"Mary wanted me to ask him if he would fill up the pool so we can swim." Lucy explained.

"I guess I could put the hose in, but you'll have to be patient while it fills up and you can't swim unless there's an grown up out there." Annie said.

"Grandpa and Grandma are outside watching us play." Lucy said as Eric walked in. "They're watching Matt, Jeff and Simon, too."

"I'll put the hose in before I leave." Eric said before he kissed Annie. "I'm just going to visit a few people at the hospital, I'll be back soon."

"Could you please pick up some hamburger, steak and extra hot dogs on your way home?" Annie asked.

Abby smiled. "Don't forget the Doritos!"

"No problem, but why do we need extra hot dogs?" Eric asked.

"Abby doesn't like steak." Annie said as she started to make a list for Eric.

"Okay." Eric said as he started to walk out the door with Lucy following behind him. "I'll be back to pick up the list as soon as I put the hose in the pool."

"Is Uncle Eric going to buy all of our food for us?" Abby asked as soon as the door was closed again.

"No, Honey, he's just picking up a few things so we can have food on the grill this weekend." Annie replied as she put her dirty dishes in the sink and started to rinse them.

"OOPS, I forgot my car keys." Eric said when he came back in the house. Eric took his keys, the list, kissed Annie and then left.

"Sesame Street will be on in a few minutes, Honey." Annie said as she took Abby's empty cereal bowl to the sink and rinsed it.

"Okay!" Abby smiled, before putting the last bite of toast in her mouth.

After Annie put all the dirty dishes in the dishwasher, she followed Abby as she skipped into the living room. When Sesame Street came on, Abby danced to the opening music and then sat down beside Annie after it went on, to another part. When it was over, they went outside where Charles, Jenny, Matt, Jeff, Mary, Lucy and Simon were.

"Auntie Annie, will you please push me on the swing?" Abby asked as they walked over to where Charles and Jenny were.

"Yes, I will, Sweet Baby." Annie replied as she followed Abby to the swing set. "After that, I'm going to sit down with Grandpa and Grandma, okay?"

"Okay." Abby smiled as she sat down on one of the swings. Annie pushed Abby on the swings for awhile with her giggling almost the whole time. When they were done, Abby followed Annie over to where her Grandpa and Grandma were sitting.

"Don't you want to play with your cousins, Honey?" Annie asked as she sat down.

Abby smiled. "No, I want to stay here with you."

"Okay, Sweetheart." Annie said as she helped Abby up onto her lap.

Abby smiled. "Auntie Annie watched Sesame Street with me this morning!"

"Did you have fun?" Jenny asked.

Abby giggled. "We didn't do anything, but sit there and watch TV!"

Annie smiled as she hugged Abby and then kissed her on the head. "You can still sit here, Sweetie, but I want to talk with Grandpa and Grandma, okay?"

Abby smiled back. "Okay."

"Have the children been good for you this morning?" Annie asked.

"I played in the sandbox with Simon for awhile." Charles replied.

Jenny smiled. "Mary played basketball with Matt and Jeff for awhile and when she was done, I pushed her and Lucy on the swings."

"I hope they don't hit us with the ball." Abby said as she looked over at Matt and Jeff, who were still playing.

"I'll make sure they're careful, Sweetie." Annie said as she hugged Abby. She looked at her Mom and Dad. "Thanks for watching the children this morning – it sounds like everyone had fun."

Annie, Charles and Jenny continued to talk and watch the children play, until Eric came home with the food.

"Auntie Annie, I'm getting hungry, again. What are we having?" Abby asked.

Annie smiled. "There's some left over macaroni and cheese."

"Okay." Abby said. "Can I please have a hot dog, too? I really like that meal."

"Sure, you can, Sweetheart." Annie said as she hugged Abby and kissed her on the head before helping her off her lap. She got up and went into the house, with Abby following behind her. After she boiled her a couple hot dogs and warmed up the macaroni and cheese, she poured some Seven Up into Abby's favorite Care Bears cup.

"Auntie Annie, look what I invented!" Abby giggled as she mixed Miracle Whip with ketchup and mustard. "It's for my hot dogs."

Annie smiled as she poured herself some Seven Up.

"Eeww." Matt said as he and Jeff walked past Abby. "Mom, is it time to eat yet?"

"No, Honey, your Dad is cooking the rest of our food on the grill." Annie replied, as she rinsed the pan she used to boil the hot dogs.

"I don't like my hot dogs black, so Auntie Annie boiled them for me." Abby said before taking another bite of her macaroni and cheese.

"Mom, we're hot and thirsty from playing basketball – do you have anything cold to drink?" Matt asked.

"There's some punch and kool-aid in the refrigerator." Annie said as she took two glasses from the cupboard and handed them to Matt. Matt poured some punch for him and Jeff, while Annie started to make a big bowl of potato salad.

A few minutes after Matt and Jeff went back outside, Jenny walked in. "Matt told me you were making potato salad. Do you need a hand?"

"Oh, thanks, that would be great." Annie smiled as she filled up another pan to boil some eggs. "This smaller bowl will be for the one without onions, for Abby."

"Okay." Jenny replied. "I'll cut the onions over here so they'll be away from Abby."

"I can still smell them." Abby smiled mischievously as she plugged her nose.

Annie and Jenny continued to make the potato salad and other foods for everyone to eat over the weekend, while Abby ate her hot dogs and macaroni and cheese.

After everyone had lunch and the kitchen was cleaned up, Annie and Jenny took the baskets of clean clothes to the living room so they could be folded and put away.

"This is fun!" Abby giggled as she stood in the middle of the living room, spinning around in circles.

"Abby, Sweetie, I don't want you to get dizzy or hurt. Why don't you play Nintendo and Grandma and I will watch you while we fold clothes." Annie suggested.

Abby smiled. "Do you want Super Mario One or Super Mario Three? I don't have number two."

Before Annie or Jenny had a chance to answer, Lucy walked in the room. "Mary is playing basketball with Matt and Jeff, Grandpa is with Simon and the pool isn't ready to swim in yet, so I don't have anything to do."

"Do you want to play Super Mario?" Abby asked.

"I don't know how to play." Lucy replied as she sat down on the couch, next to Jenny.

"Okay. Watch me." Abby smiled as she put Super Mario Three in the Nintendo. "Auntie Annie, I forgot to tell you that I made it past world one!"

"Great job, Sweetheart!" Annie said as she picked up another pair of socks to fold. "I knew you could do it!"

Abby smiled as she walked over to Annie and hugged her, before turning on her game. She played, while Annie and Jenny continued to fold clean clothes as they – and Lucy – watched her.

When it was time for Sesame Street, Abby turned off the game and watched it with Simon and Lucy, while Annie and Jenny went in the kitchen to start dinner. After Sesame Street, Abby stayed in the living room with Lucy and Simon, to watch Full House. When it was over, she left the room, giggling. "Auntie Annie, Lucy got me to watch this show, called Full House with her and one of the girls on there said something really funny!"

Annie smiled as she continued making dinner. "What did she say?"

"She said, _how, rude_!" Abby continued to giggle and repeat the funny expression until Annie walked over and hugged her. "Sweetie, Uncle Eric is trying to work on his sermon, okay?"

"It's okay." Eric said as he picked up his things. "I'll work on it in my office."

"What is a sermon?" Abby asked.

"A sermon, is when Uncle Eric tells everyone about God." Annie replied.

Abby was a little confused. "Where? When?"

"It's when he stands up in front of everyone at church and talks for a really long time." Annie explained.

Abby smiled. "Oh, okay! What are we having to eat?"

"One of your favorite meals – salmon and sweet potatoes." Annie replied.

Abby smiled. "I love eating at your house."

"Awe, we love having you here, too, Sweetheart." Annie said as she hugged Abby and kissed her on the head.

After everyone had dinner and the kitchen was cleaned up, Eric finished his sermon while Charles and Jenny helped Annie give each child a bath or shower so they would be ready for church the next morning.

Abby shivered as she stepped out of the shower. "I'm c-c-c-cold, Auntie Annie."

"Here, Sweet Baby." Annie said as she wrapped a towel around Abby. "We can't take too much time in here, because Mary and Lucy need to go next and then Matt, okay?"

"O-o-okay." Abby said as she continued to shiver.

After Abby was dried off and had her pajamas on, she went into her room and sat down on her air mattress bed. "Is Grandma helping Mary and Lucy with their shower?" She asked.

Annie smiled as she combed Abby's wet, blonde, curly hair. "Yes, she is, Sweetheart. Grandpa and Grandma are helping me with you and your cousins so all of you will be ready for church in the morning."

"Oh." Abby said. "Where is Uncle Eric?"

"He's downstairs, finishing his sermon." Annie replied.

"WHOA, he's going to talk for a _long_ time!" Abby said as she looked over at her sundresses, trying to decide which one she wanted to wear to church.

"No, he doesn't talk for a long time, Honey." Annie said as she continued to comb Abby's wet hair. "Sometimes it just takes him longer to write the sermon than it does when he talks on Sunday morning."

Abby still had some questions about sermons, before she would completely understand everything about them, but since she gets confused easily, she decided she would ask questions later, when she could understand it better. "I hope my hair dries before I go to bed."

"You still have a couple of hours before you usually go to sleep, so it should be dry by then. I know you don't like the noise from the hair dryer." Annie said as she hugged Abby and then kissed her on the head. "Your hair smells _so good_, Sweetheart."

After everyone had their bath or shower, Annie played Nintendo with Abby for a few minutes before they went into the kitchen to have some butterscotch pudding.

Abby smiled as she peeled back the cover on her Snack Pack pudding container. "My Daddy buys this for my school lunch."

Annie smiled as she hugged Abby. "I know, he does, Honey."

After they finished their pudding and everyone was ready for bed, Annie joined Abby in the room they were sharing.

Abby smiled as Annie kissed her on the head. "I love you, Auntie Annie."

"I love you, too, Sweet Baby." Annie said as she hugged Abby.

"Auntie Annie? Will you please sing me a song before I go to sleep?" Abby asked. "I really like hearing you sing."

Annie sang, and when she was finished, she noticed that Abby was asleep. She gave her one more kiss on the head and then tucked in the sheets and blankets around her, before going to sleep.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I want to sit by you." Abby told Annie as they walked up the isle in the church, the next morning.

Annie smiled as she sat down next to Jenny. "Okay, Honey. You can sit on my lap."

After everyone was seated and quiet, Eric started to read the morning announcements and then continued to follow the agenda on the weekly bulletin.

After church was over, Abby followed Annie down stairs. "Is this where they have Sunday school?"

Annie smiled as they walked in the room with the snacks and drinks. "Yes, it is, Sweetie."

Abby noticed the food, right away. "Auntie Annie, they have doughnuts down here!"

"You can have some, Honey." Annie said as she led Abby over to the table. "You can take any of the snacks you want."

"Can I have more than one thing?" Abby asked.

"Yes, you can, Sweetheart." Annie replied as she took a plate and handed it to Abby.

Abby smiled as she took a plastic cup from the stack. "There's some green HI-C Punch! I love this!"

"Would you like me to help you pour it, Honey?" Annie asked as she picked up the large can from the table.

"Yeah." Abby said as she started putting some snacks on her plate.

After Annie and Abby had their snacks and drinks, they sat down next to Charles and Jenny.

"There's Uncle Eric with Matt and his friend." Abby said as the picked up her doughnut.

"When we have Sunday school, there's a class for your age group if you want to go or you can stay with me when I teach the Kindergarten class. Do you want to go with your age group or stay with me?"

Abby smiled. "I want to stay with you."

"Okay, Sweetheart." Annie said as she continued eating what was on her plate.

When it was time for Sunday school, Abby and Lucy followed Annie into the room where she would be teaching.

"Is Abby going to be in our class?" Lucy asked as she sat down.

Abby looked at Annie. "Am I in your class or your helper?"

"Do you want to listen to a story and color pictures?" Annie asked as she passed out some papers.

Abby smiled. "Yeah!"

Annie handed Abby the same papers, she passed out to the other children and then started reading the story.

When she finished the story, she passed out some more papers for the children to color.

Abby colored until all the other children went home and then smiled as she took her picture over to Annie. "Look what I colored for you."

Annie smiled back, as she gathered everything together so they could leave. "Wow! That is really special. Thank you, Sweetheart!"

Abby hugged Annie, before she and Lucy followed her back upstairs and outside to the car. "What fun stuff are we going to do, today?"

"We're having some friends over to have lunch with us, Honey." Annie said as she helped Abby into the car.

"Oh" Abby said as she sat down and made herself comfortable.

A few minutes after they were home, the doorbell rang.

"I think your friends are early." Abby said as she watched Eric leave the room to answer the door.

"I know, Sweetie, Uncle Eric is answering the door." Annie said as she put some Tator-Tots in the oven.

"No, I mean they're early, because you don't have lunch ready." Abby said.

Annie smiled. "Oh, it's okay, Honey."

"Don't forget my cheese." Abby reminded Annie as she watched her set a big plate of hamburger patties on the counter for Eric to take out to the grill.

"I won't, Sweetie." Annie said, as she was about to walk over to the refrigerator when she saw Patricia Hamilton. "Oh, hi Patricia!"

"Hi, Annie!" Patricia replied.

Abby watched Annie and Patricia give each other a hug, as three children walked in, with their Dad and Uncle Eric behind them.

"Do you remember my niece, Abby?" Annie asked everyone.

John, and Keisha stood there, trying to think, not sure if they remembered her or not.

Patricia smiled. "I do. Hi, Abby!"

"Hi, Abby." Morgan said.

Abby looked at Annie, confused because she didn't remember them.

Annie walked over to Abby. "Honey, do you remember my friends Patricia and Morgan?"

"No." Abby said, only quiet enough for Annie to hear her.

"It's okay, Sweetheart." Annie said as she hugged Abby. She looked over at Morgan and Patricia as they sat down. "She doesn't remember faces very well."

As soon as Charles and Jenny walked in the front door, John, Keisha and Nigel ran off to find Matt, Mary, Lucy and Simon, while Morgan helped Eric with the burgers on the grill and Patricia stayed in the kitchen with Annie and Abby.

"Grandpa and Grandma are back!" Abby announced.

"Sorry, we're late." Charles said.

"Uncle Eric is outside with one of his friends and they're making our food on the grill." Abby told Charles and Jenny.

Charles went outside to help Eric and Morgan, while Jenny stayed inside and helped Annie and Patricia.

"Auntie Annie, your food smells good." Abby said. "I'm getting hungry, again."

"It will be ready soon." Annie said as she walked over to Abby and put some Tator-Tots into a bowl. "Here, Sweetie, you can have some of these until the rest of the food is done."

Abby smiled. "Thank you, Auntie Annie."

After the food was ready, everyone sat down at the picnic tables to eat. When everyone was finished, all the children played together for the rest of the day, while Abby sat with Annie and the rest of the grownups. After awhile, she went in the living and played Nintendo until she saw Annie walk in the room. "Auntie Annie, will you please play Nintendo with me?"

Annie smiled as she sat down on the couch, next to Abby. "Actually, Uncle Eric and Morgan went to buy some ice cream and I asked them to get some Mint Chocolate Chip, for you."

Abby smiled as she put her game on pause. "Okay! Is everyone else, eating Mint Chocolate Chip, too?"

"No, Honey, they're buying Vanilla and Strawberry Swirl, too." Annie replied.

"Oh." Abby said as she hugged Annie.

Annie smiled as she picked Abby up, and hugged her while carrying her upstairs. "Why don't we get our pajamas on, while we wait for Uncle Eric and Morgan."

"Okay." Abby giggled as Annie walked in their room and sat her down on her air mattress bed. "Where are my cousins?"

"They're outside with Grandpa, Grandma and Patricia." Annie replied as she helped Abby pick out her pajamas.

"Oh. Are they going to have ice cream, too?" Abby asked.

"Yes, they are, Sweetheart." Annie said as she pulled some clean pajamas out of Abby's bag.

After Annie finished helping Abby with her pajamas, they went downstairs to the kitchen, where Eric and Morgan were scooping ice cream for everyone.

"I want Mint Chocolate Chip!" Abby announced as she skipped down the stairs.

"He knows, Sweetie." Annie said as she followed Abby over to the Island.

"Auntie Annie, look what I'm making." Abby giggled as she stirred her ice cream until it was like thick soup.

Annie smiled. "Oh, you turned it into a milk shake, Honey."

"A milk shake in a bowl?" Abby continued to giggle, as she was about to take a bite. "I'm calling it Mint Chocolate Chip, soup!"

"You're a silly, girl." Annie smiled as she hugged Abby and then kissed her on the head.

After everyone finished their ice cream, they went into the living room and watched a funny movie that Eric rented.

When the movie was over and the Hamilton's went home, Abby raced Annie up the stairs and rolled around on her air mattress bed as she continued to giggle.

"Time for bed, Sweetie." Annie said as she sat down next to Abby and hugged her.

After Abby brushed her teeth and everything, Annie tucked her in, before leaving the room to get herself and her children ready for bed.

Abby smiled, as Annie was about to walk out of the room. "Goodnight. I love you, Auntie Annie."

"I love you, too, Sweet Baby." Annie said as she turned around. "I'll be back as soon as I get ready for bed and help your cousins."

"Okay." Abby replied as she turned on her side and went to sleep.

The next morning, Annie held her hands over Abby's ears as the fire trucks went by at the Memorial Day parade.

"You should stand over by the road with us, so you can get candy when the people in the parade start throwing it." Lucy said as she ran over to where Annie and Abby were sitting.

"She might join you after all of the loud trucks are gone, Sweetie." Annie said as she continued to hold her hands over Abby's ears.

"Yeah, they're too loud and the noise hurts my ears." Abby said.

"Okay." Lucy said as she walked back over to where Matt, Mary and Simon were standing.

As the parade continued, Abby collected a lot of candy and Bazooka bubble gum. "Auntie Annie, look what I got." She said as she held out another small handful of candy.

Annie smiled as she opened the sandwich bag for Abby to add another handful of candy. "Wow, Sweetheart! You're getting a lot of candy, today."

When the parade was over, they started to walk over to the carnival, when they saw Mrs. Bink and Mrs. Hinkle sitting at some picnic tables, having some lunch.

"Hi, Abby, it's nice to see you, again." Mrs. Bink said as she watched everyone walk by.

Abby looked at Annie. "Was she talking to me, or a someone else whose name is Abby?"

"Yes, Honey, they were talking to you." Annie said as she led Abby over to their table. "They go to our church and they remember seeing you yesterday."

"Look what I got at the parade!" Abby announced as she held up her bag of candy for everyone to see.

"I got some, too." Simon said as he held up his bag.

Lucy smiled as she held up her bag. "So, did I."

"Don't eat too much candy, or you'll get cavities." Mrs. Hinkle said as Mrs. Beeker walked over to the table and sat down, next to her.

Abby smiled. "I have a Care Bears, toothbrush, but it's at Auntie Annie's house because that's where I'm staying right now."

"That must be fun." Mrs. Beeker said as she opened her lunch.

"Yeah. Later, we're going to Michigan." Abby told them.

Annie smiled as she took Abby's hand. "We better get going, Sweetie, if you want to ride on the tilt-a-whirl again. Today is the last day for the rides."

"Okay." Abby said, before waving to everyone at the table. "See you later!"

Everyone waved at Annie and Abby, as they followed Eric, Charles, Jenny, Matt, Jeff, Mary, Lucy and Simon to the carnival.

After everyone was done riding on the carnival rides, they left to go back home.

"I'm hungry." Abby said as she stepped into Annie's car. "Can, I please have McDonalds, again?"

"Okay, Sweetheart." Annie said as she started the car. "Since we're making steak on the grill and I know you don't like steak, I'll get you some chicken nuggets."

Abby smiled. "Okay! Can I, please have some French Fries, too?"

"Yes, you can, Honey – unless you want some left over Tator-Tots." Annie replied as she followed Eric, Charles and Jenny out of the parking lot.

"Yeah!" Abby said as she continued to smile.

After they went to the drive-thru and left McDonalds, Annie turned the radio on so Abby could listen to her favorite music.

When they got home, Annie took a paper plate out of the cupboard for Abby to put her chicken nuggets on and then warmed up the Tator-Tots for her.

Abby smiled as she picked up another chicken nugget. "Thank you, Auntie Annie. Can, I please have some Root Beer?"

"Yes, you can, Sweetheart." Annie said as she put the steak on the counter to get it ready for the grill.

After Annie poured some Root Beer for Abby, Jenny walked in from outside. "Wasn't that a wonderful parade?"

"Yeah – I didn't like all the loud trucks, though." Abby said as she continued to eat. "Are you going to help Auntie Annie make the food?"

"If she wants me to." Jenny replied.

Annie and Jenny made the dinner, as Abby continued to eat. When it was ready the Hamilton's came over again and everyone ate outside on the picnic tables.

"Is she eating, _again_?" Matt asked as he looked over at Abby's plate filled with potato salad, macaroni salad and strawberry Jell-O.

Abby giggled as she sat on Annie's lap. "I'm really hungry, today."

"Oh." Matt said as he picked up his dirty paper plate and took it in the house to throw in the trash.

When everyone was done eating, Mary, Lucy and Keisha went upstairs to play with Barbie Dolls, while Matt, Jeff, John, Simon and Nigel stayed outside with Eric, Morgan and Charles.

"Auntie Annie, will you please watch Sesame Street with me, again?" Abby asked as she followed Annie and Jenny into the house.

"Not right now, Sweetie." Annie said as she hugged Abby. "Grandma and I are going to clean up the kitchen. But I'll tell you what. After we're finished, I promise I'll play some Nintendo with you."

"Okay." Abby said as she hugged Annie before leaving the room.

After Sesame Street and a few games of Super Mario, everyone had some ice cream, before the Hamilton's left to go back home.

"Where is Uncle Eric going, with Matt and his friend?" Abby asked as she watched them walk out the door.

"They're taking Jeff to his house." Annie replied as she watched Abby play another level on her game. "He and Matt have to go to school tomorrow."

"Oh." Abby said. "I'm glad I don't have to go to school anymore. I'm also happy that I don't have to see the other children who live on my road – they're really mean to me."

"I know, Baby Girl." Annie said as she pulled Abby onto her lap and then hugged her while kissing her on the head.

Annie continued to hold Abby, until Mary came in the room. "Mom, Dad just got home and he wants to see you in his office."

"Okay." Annie replied, as she helped Abby off her lap. "I'll be right back, Honey."

"Okay." Abby said as she continued her Nintendo game.

"What are you doing?" Matt asked as he walked in the room.

Abby smiled. "I'm playing Super Mario."

"Can we play?" Matt asked.

"Okay, but first let me finish my game." Abby replied. She continued to play, until she felt someone tickling her, but when she looked over at Matt and Mary they weren't doing anything.

A few minutes later, she heard giggling as she felt someone tickle her, again.

"What?" Mary asked as she pulled her hand back.

"Are you tickling me?" Abby asked as she put her game on pause, again.

Mary smiled as she started to tickle Abby under her arms. "Maybe."

"Please don't do that. I'm trying to play Nintendo." Abby said as Mary continued to tickle her. "Stop it."

Matt laughed as he pinned her down while Mary continued to tickle her.

"AUNTIE ANNIE! PLEASE, TELL MY COUSINS TO STOP TICKLING ME!" Abby yelled. "AAAHHH! Ow, that hurts! Stop it!"

"What is going on?" Annie asked as she ran in the room.

"We're just tickling her." Matt said.

"Please tell my cousins to stop tickling me." Abby repeated.

"Matt, Mary – please get off your cousin. You can't tickle her too hard like that – you have to be gentle or you might hurt her or make her scared." Annie said, as Eric, Charles, Jenny, Lucy and Simon walked in the room to see what was going on.

"Yeah, that hurt." Abby said as she sat up, shaky, out of breath with tears in her eyes.

Lucy looked at Charles and Jenny. "Sometimes, they do that to me, too."

"We weren't trying to hurt her." Mary said.

"I know." Annie said as she picked Abby up and hugged her. "It's almost time to start getting ready for bed. A few of you have to go to school tomorrow. Let's all go upstairs and start getting ready."

After everyone was ready for bed and tucked in, Annie sang Abby another song. When she was done, she was about to turn off the light, when she heard the phone ring. "I'll be right back, Sweetie." She said as she left the room.

A few minutes later, she came back, with the phone. "It's your Daddy, Honey. He wants to talk with you."

"Okay." Abby said as she took the phone and started talking. "The day after I got here, Auntie Annie bought me some sundresses and then she took me to see a movie. Then the next day, she took me to the carnival and rode some of the rides with me. She bought me some pudding like the kind you buy me for my lunch and then today, I got lots of candy from the parade. Earlier today, Matt and Mary started tickling me, but I didn't like that – Auntie Annie told them to stop. Oh, yeah, I almost forgot – Auntie Annie watched Sesame Street with me, too!" Abby smiled as she continued telling her Dad about the last five days.

When they were done talking, Annie took the phone and put it back on the hook, before turning off the light.

"Goodnight, Auntie Annie. I love you." Abby said as she turned over on her side, facing Annie.

"I love you, too, Sweet Baby." Annie said as she kissed Abby on the head, before going to sleep.


	8. Chapter 8 Another Lesson Learned

**Chapter 8 – Another Lesson Learned**

It was Tuesday morning, the day after Memorial Day, when Abby was sitting under the kitchen table, waiting for Annie to come back from the laundry room. "Boo!" She yelled as soon as she saw her.

"Boo!" Simon repeated as he followed Abby, who was crawling around the kitchen table and giggling.

"You two are silly." Annie smiled as she walked over and helped Abby and Simon off the floor. "Do you want some French Toast for breakfast?"

Abby smiled as she climbed the stool to sit at the Island. "Yeah! Can, I please snack on some Froot Loops while you make it?"

"Yes, you can, Honey." Annie said as she walked over the cupboard. "But don't eat too many, okay?"

Abby smiled. "Okay."

As soon as Annie handed Abby the box of cereal, she dumped some on the counter and started separating the colors and lining them up.

"What are you doing?" Matt asked as he walked passed Abby.

Abby giggled. "I'm eating the yellow and orange ones last."

"Oh." Matt said as he picked up his school bag and waited for Eric, Mary and Lucy.

As soon as Eric, Mary and Lucy came down the stairs, Annie hugged and kissed everyone as they walked out the door.

"See you later!" Abby yelled as she waved her hands.

"See you later, Abby!" Eric yelled before Annie shut the door.

Abby smiled when she saw Jenny walk in the room. "Auntie Annie is making French Toast."

"Wow, that sounds yummy." Jenny replied.

"We need to get groceries and a few other things today." Annie said as she took the eggs out of the refrigerator. "Do you want to come?"

Abby smiled. "I do!"

"I know you do, Sweet Baby. I was talking to Grandma." Annie said as she continued getting things ready to make the French Toast.

"Sure, I'd love to." Jenny replied.

"Is Simon going, too?" Abby asked.

"No, I think he's staying here, with Grandpa." Jenny said.

"Oh." Abby said as she continued to separate the colors of the Froot Loops. "Are you going to tell him we're going to the store?"

"Yeah, we will, Honey." Annie said as she put a slice of bread in the frying pan.

"How many more days, until we go to Michigan?" Abby asked.

Annie smiled as she took Abby's Care Bears plate out of the cupboard. "Eight, Sweetie. We leave on Wednesday of next week, after your cousins get out of school."

"Oh." Abby said. "Can I please, have some orange juice?"

Annie poured some orange juice into Abby's Care Bears cup, and then put butter and syrup on her French Toast, before cutting it up and setting the plate down in front of her. "The sausage will be done in a few minutes, Honey."

Abby smiled. "_YES!_ Thank you, Auntie Annie."

Annie smiled back. "You're welcome, Sweetheart. When we're done eating, we have to get ready to go to the store, okay?"

"Okay. Isn't it funny how I used to call this Fried Bread?" Abby giggled as she pointed at her French Toast.

Annie laughed as she hugged Abby and then kissed her on the head. "Yes, I remember that, Honey. You were a silly girl; you still are."

Abby giggled as she hugged Annie. "I love you, Auntie Annie."

"I love you, too, Sweet Baby." Annie said, before giving her another kiss on the head. "I think the sausage is done, now."

Abby smiled. "_YES!_ I can't wait to have some."

"Here it comes." Annie smiled as she brought the pan over to Abby. "How many do you want?"

"Three." Abby smiled as she held up her napkin. "When we go shopping, can I please bring Teddy Baby?" Teddy Baby is the stuffed bear that Auntie Annie bought for her, right before she was born.

"Yes, you can, Honey, but he can't come in the stores, okay?" Annie said as she put the sausage links on the napkin for Abby.

"Okay. I'll hide him when we go in, so no one will kidnap him." Abby said, before taking another bite of her French Toast.

"Okay, Sweetheart." Annie said as she put the rest of the sausage links on her plate.

After they were done eating and the kitchen was cleaned up, they went upstairs to finish getting ready, before telling Eric and Charles where they were going.

"I'll race you to the car!" Abby giggled as she ran ahead of Annie and Jenny.

"Be careful, Honey." Annie said as her and Jenny followed Abby over to the car. "I don't want you to fall and hurt yourself."

Abby smiled as she ran up to the car and started jumping up and down. "I WON! I WON!"

As soon as Annie started the car, Abby started giggling and dancing to the radio, as she sat in the back seat. "Come on, Teddy Baby, you have to get your seat belt on." She said as they pulled out of the driveway.

After going to a few stores, they noticed it was almost time for lunch, as they pulled into the grocery store parking lot.

"I'm almost hungry." Abby announced as they walked across the parking lot, into the store. "Can I please, ride in the back of the cart, again, like I did last time?"

"Yes, you can, Sweetie." Annie said as she picked Abby up and put her in the cart.

Abby giggled as Annie pushed the cart, down the first isle. "This is fun!"

Annie smiled as she kissed Abby on the head, before putting some cans of soup in the cart. "I'm glad you're having a good time, Sweet Baby."

When they got to the cookie isle, Abby smiled as she pointed to the boxes of individually wrapped Twix Candy Bars. "Can we please buy some of those?"

"Twix?" Jenny asked.

"Yeah!" Abby said as she continued to smile.

Annie knew how much Abby liked Carmel Twix, so she took a couple boxes off the shelf and put them in cart. "Here, Sweetie, these will last awhile."

"Okay! Thanks! Now, we have Twix, spaghetti O's with meatballs, Ravioli and green Hi-C Punch in a can – and other stuff." Abby giggled as she pointed to all the rest of the stuff that was in the cart.

Annie smiled as she put a few cans of Tuna in the cart and then continued up and down each isle until they were done.

"I'm _SO_ hungry, I could eat this whole store." Abby said as she watched them put their groceries into plastic bags. "Auntie Annie, what are we having for lunch?"

"Do you want some Tomato soup and a Tuna Melt, Honey?" Annie asked as she lifted Abby out of the cart and hugged her.

Abby smiled as she hugged Annie. "Yeah!"

"Okay, Sweetheart." Annie said as she continued to hold Abby.

"Is he going to carry our stuff out to the car for us?" Abby asked as she watched them put the last bag of groceries back into the cart.

"He's going to push the cart out to our car and put them in the trunk for us." Annie replied, before kissing Abby on the head.

"That's even better." Abby giggled. "I think he would drop them if he tried to carry that many by himself."

"Yeah, you're right, Honey, he probably would." Annie said as she followed everyone out to the car, still carrying Abby.

"I hope he can fit all of our food in the trunk." Abby said as she watched Grandma Jenny help him unload the bags from the cart.

"Oh, it's okay, Sweetie. Our trunk is big enough." Annie said as she unlocked the door.

"Oh." Abby said as Annie kissed her on the head, before putting her back down in the car. She picked up her stuffed bear, as she sat down. "I hope you were good while I was in the store."

"Was Teddy Baby, good, Honey?" Annie asked as she sat down to start the car.

Abby giggled. "I don't know. I think I just woke him up and the baby sitter ran away when she saw us coming. Are we going home, now?"

"Yes, we are, Sweetheart – as soon as they get done putting the groceries in the car." Annie replied as she turned on the radio for Abby.

"YES!" Abby continued to giggle as she held up her bear. "Look, Auntie Annie, Teddy Baby is dancing!"

Annie turned around and smiled before kissing Abby on the head.

"Will you please come back here and sit with me?" Abby asked.

Annie looked out the window as she saw her Mom close the trunk. "Actually, Grandma's coming, Sweetie – it's time to go home, now."

"YES!" Abby smiled as she sat back down in the seat.

After Jenny shut her door and everyone had their seat belts on, Annie pulled out of the parking lot.

"We're going home to eat!" Abby announced as they turned onto the road.

After they were home and the groceries were put away, Annie started to make the soup and sandwiches.

"Auntie Annie, can we please listen to Walkin' On Sunshine while the food is cooking?" Abby asked as she sat down at the Island. "I _LOVE_ that song."

"Yes, we can, Sweetheart." Annie replied as she got out a large can of Tomato soup. "I'll put it on after I get the soup and sandwiches started."

Abby smiled. "Okay! Can I please have some paper to draw pictures?"

"Yes, you can, Honey. There's some in Uncle Eric's office." Annie replied as she left the room.

"Okay." Abby said.

"Here, Sweetie." Annie said as she came back with a few sheets of paper and a pencil. "We have some colored pencils, too."

Abby smiled. "I _LOVE_ colored pencils!"

"I know you do, Sweet Baby." Annie said as she hugged Abby and kissed her on the head, before continuing to make their lunches.

After Annie got the soup and sandwiches going, she turned on the tape for Abby before picking her up.

Abby giggled as they danced to the music. "THIS IS _FUN_!"

In the middle of the song, Annie turned the sandwiches over so they would get brown on the other side, and then stirred the soup as they continued to dance.

"We're dancing, everyone!" Abby announced as Eric walked in with Charles, Jenny, Lucy and Simon behind him.

"Don't burn your food." Eric replied as he looked over at the Tuna Melts.

"Auntie Annie will make sure we don't." Abby said as they continued to dance. "She knows I don't like burnt food."

When the song was over, Annie put Abby back down on the stool by the Island before getting out some plates and bowls.

"That was fun!" Abby said, out of breath. "Is the food ready?"

"Almost." Annie smiled as she sat a bowl, plate and cup down in front of Abby. "Do you want some of your green punch?"

Abby smiled. "Yeah."

"Okay, Honey." Annie said as she punched a couple holes on top of the large can, before pouring some into Abby's favorite Care Bears cup. "Here, Sweetie."

Abby was still smiling. "Thank you, Auntie Annie. Is Uncle Eric, Grandpa, Lucy and Simon eating with us, too?"

Annie smiled as she put some soup in Abby's bowl. "They can, if they want."

"Did you eat lunch, while we were gone?" Abby asked them before taking a drink of her punch.

"No. We don't get lunch at school yet, but the older kids do." Lucy replied.

"Why don't you get lunch at school?" Abby asked.

"Lucy is in kindergarten so she only stays there for part of the day." Annie said as she took a few more slices of cheese from the refrigerator. Do you want some Tomato soup and a sandwich?"

Lucy smiled. "I do!"

"Me, too!" Simon said.

"Is my sandwich done?" Abby asked.

"Yes, it is, Sweetheart." Annie replied as she cut the sandwich in quarters before taking it over to her.

Abby smiled. "Thank you, Auntie Annie."

"You're welcome, Sweet Baby." Annie replied as she hugged Abby and kissed her on the head, before making more sandwiches.

"Are those you and Grandma's sandwiches?" Abby asked as she watched Annie put them on plates.

"They were, Honey, but I'm going to let Simon and Lucy have them." Annie replied as cut the sandwiches in quarters.

"What are you and Grandma going to eat?" Abby said, before taking a bite of her sandwich.

Annie smiled as she walked past Abby with the sandwiches. "I'm going to make more."

"Oh." Abby said as she continued eating.

"Is it okay if they have some of your punch, Sweetie?" Annie asked as she sat the two plates down in front of Lucy and Simon.

"Okay." Abby replied as she continued eating. "Just don't drink all of it."

Annie smiled as she poured some punch into small cups. "They won't, Honey."

"Okay. Can I please, have some more?" Abby asked as she held up her empty cup.

After everyone ate their lunch, Abby played Nintendo while Annie and Jenny watched her and folded some more clean clothes.

"Mom, can we go roller skating, today?" Mary asked as soon as she came home from school.

"Do you or Matt have any homework?" Annie replied as she continued folding the clothes.

"No." Mary answered as she sat down next to Jenny.

"I don't have any!" Matt said, as he walked upstairs to his room.

"Are we going skating?" Abby asked as she put her game on pause.

"Yes, we are, Sweetheart – after Grandma and I finish the laundry." Annie replied.

"I don't have any skates and I can't skate good." Abby said as she unpaused her game and continued playing.

"It's okay, Sweet Baby – I'll pay for you to rent some skates and hold your hand, so you don't fall down." Annie said as she kissed Abby on the head.

"Okay." Abby said, nervously. "Should I keep playing or are we going to leave soon?"

Annie smiled. "You can play for a few more minutes, Honey."

"Okay." Abby said as she passed another level of Super Mario. "Is Uncle Eric, Grandpa and Grandma coming, too?"

"I think Uncle Eric has some church work to do, but Grandpa and Grandma will probably come with us." Annie replied as she folded another pair of Abby's pajamas.

"Are you coming skating with us, Grandma?" Mary asked.

Jenny smiled. "Yes, Honey."

"Is Simon and Lucy coming, too?" Abby asked.

Annie smiled as she folded a pair of Abby's clean shorts. "Yes, they are, Sweetheart."

After all the clean clothes were folded and put away, Abby turned her game off. "Is he coming with us?" She asked when she saw Annie coming out of Eric's office.

"No, Honey, he's going to meet us there later." Annie replied as she picked up her keys.

"Oh." Abby said as they followed Charles, Jenny, Matt, Mary, Lucy and Simon out to the driveway. "Are we all riding in the same car?"

Annie smiled as she opened the car door for Abby. "No, Sweetie, Grandpa and Grandma are taking your cousins and they're going to meet us there."

"Oh." Abby said as she sat down in the seat. "Can I please listen to the radio on the way there?"

"Yes, you can, Sweetheart." Annie replied as she helped Abby put her seat belt on.

After everyone paid their way in and had their skates, Annie helped Abby, Lucy and Simon. "Does Abby know how to tie her shoes?" Mary asked as she watched her Mom and cousin from across the room.

"Not yet, Honey." Jenny replied as she sat down next to Mary. "Things that come easy for us, are hard for Abby, so it takes her longer to learn them."

"Isn't her school helping her with her motor skills?" Charles asked.

"I'm not sure. Annie or John will probably know." Jenny replied as she watched Matt and Mary skate away and join everyone else who was already out on the floor.

"Auntie Annie, I can't stand up very good." Abby said after everyone had their skates on.

"Here, Sweet Baby." Annie said as she held out her hand.

Annie, Abby and Lucy went out onto the floor, while Simon stayed on the carpet where Charles and Jenny were sitting and watching him.

"Ouch!" Abby said, after getting a static shock off something she touched while sliding her hand on the wall. "I wish this wall wouldn't shock me."

"I know, Sweetheart." Annie said as she continued to hold Abby and Lucy's hands.

After falling down a few times Abby fell down again, hitting her head and her knees. "I don't want to skate anymore." She said, frustrated, as she started to cry.

"Okay, Baby Girl." Annie replied as helped Abby up and led her away from the other people.

"My head hurts and my knee hurts." Abby said as she continued to cry, while hugging Annie.

"I know, Sweet Baby." Annie said as she held Abby and kissed her on the head. "Let's take our skates off."

"Okay." Abby said as she rubbed her eyes. "Where did Lucy go?"

"It's okay, Baby, she's over by Grandpa, Grandma and Simon." Annie replied after looking around the room.

"Oh." Abby said as she watched Annie untie the laces on her skates. "Are you going to take your skates off, too?"

Annie smiled. "Yes, I am, Sweetheart. Do you want some Nachos?"

"Yeah." Abby replied. "I wish I could skate so I don't have to fall down."

"Maybe you can try again." Annie replied as she helped Abby put her shoes back on. "I'll bring you back here when there aren't so many people, okay, Sweet Baby?"

"Okay." Abby said, not sure if she wanted to go skating, again.

After Annie finished helping Abby, she took her own skates off before returning the ones Abby was wearing. "Let's get some Nachos, now. Grandma is going to meet us in the snack bar." She said after everything was put away.

"I don't know if I can walk yet. My legs still hurt." Abby said, as she was a little shaky, trying to stand up.

"Okay." Annie replied as she picked Abby up.

"Hey, there's Uncle Eric." Abby said, as Annie carried her into the snack bar.

"Are you done skating, already?" Eric asked.

"No, just us." Annie replied as put Abby down on the seat, before sitting down next to her. "Matt and Mary are still out there somewhere."

"I got hurt." Abby said as she showed Eric the bruises on her knees. "Auntie Annie is going to order some Nachos."

"I'm going to see if I can find our children, but I can order the Nachos for you first." Eric offered.

"Okay. Thanks, Honey." Annie said as she helped Abby onto her lap. "Lucy and Simon are with my Mom and Dad."

"I don't think I want to skate again on any day." Abby said as she hugged Annie.

"It's okay, Sweet Baby – you don't have to." Annie replied as she hugged Abby and kissed her on the head.

Abby smiled. "Okay. Did Uncle Eric tell them we want Nachos?"

"Yes, he did Sweetheart." Annie replied as she continued to hold Abby.

"Did he remember something for us to drink?" Abby asked.

"I don't know, Honey." Annie said, as she watched Eric move to the front of the line. "We'll ask him when he comes back."

"Okay." Abby said. "Grandma's coming."

"Okay." Annie said, after kissing Abby on the head.

Abby smiled as Jenny sat down. "Uncle Eric is ordering Nachos for us."

Jenny smiled. "Yum, I love Nachos."

"Baby Girl, do your legs still hurt?" Annie asked as she looked down at the bruises on Abby's knees.

"Yeah." Abby replied. "I would ask you if I can play Pac Man, but my legs hurt too much to stand up."

"Oh." Annie replied, as she rubbed Abby's legs to make them feel better.

"Grandma, I fell and bumped my head and my legs got hurt, too." Abby told Jenny.

When the skating session was over, Abby's legs were still hurting as Annie carried her out to the parking lot.

"Is Uncle Eric going to drive home by himself?" Abby asked as she watched everyone walk to their cars.

Annie smiled as she helped Abby with her seat belt. "Yes, he is, Sweetheart."

After everyone was back at the house, Abby played Nintendo while Annie started dinner.

"Hey, Abby." Matt said as he walked into the room.

"Please don't tickle me again." Abby said as she put her game on pause.

Matt smiled. "Don't worry, I didn't come in here to tickle you."

"Oh." Abby said.

"Did you know that you're not coming to Michigan with us?" Matt said, not knowing that Abby wouldn't be able to tell he was joking. "We're dropping you off at home on the way there."

Abby started to cry as she ran into the kitchen. "Auntie Annie!"

"What's wrong, Baby Girl?" Annie said as she opened a box of macaroni.

"Matt said I can't go to Michigan and that you're taking me to my house on the way there." Abby said as she continued to cry. "I don't want to go home, I want to stay with you."

"You're still coming with us, Sweet Baby." Annie said as she picked Abby up and kissed her on the head. "Who told you we were dropping you off on the way?"

"I was just joking." Matt said as he ran into the kitchen.

"Why would you joke about that?" Abby asked, confused and still crying as she hugged Annie.

"Matt, I would like to have a talk with you about some things before you go to sleep tonight, okay?" Annie said as she continued to hold Abby.

"Am I in trouble?" Matt asked.

"No, Honey, we just need to talk." Annie replied.

"Okay." Matt said. "I wasn't trying to be mean or anything, I thought she knew so I was trying to make her laugh."

"I know you were, Sweetie. I'll explain it tonight, before you go to sleep." Annie said.

"Okay." Matt said as he left the room.

"I think I'll stay out here with you. Can I please sit on the counter again?" Abby asked.

"Okay, Sweet Baby." Annie said as she hugged Abby and kissed her on the head, before putting her down on the stool.

Abby smiled as she hugged Annie. "Can I please, have some cheese and crackers? I really like those."

"Here, Sweetheart." Annie smiled as she handed Abby another pack of cheese and crackers from the cupboard.

Abby ate her cheese and crackers as she drew pictures with colored pencils while Annie continued to make dinner.

After everything was cooked, Annie combined the hamburger and macaroni and then added the canned tomatoes.

Abby smiled as she continued drawing. "I'm making this one for you, Auntie Annie."

"Oh, thank you, Sweet Baby. That is so nice of you." Annie replied as she kissed Abby on the head.

After everyone had dinner and Abby was in bed, Annie left the room to talk with Matt. "Are you ready for bed, so we can talk?"

"Is it about Abby?" Matt asked as he sat down on the edge of his bed.

"Yes, it is." Annie replied as she sat down next to Matt. "Abby can't read people, so she can't tell the difference between joking and serious. She was really upset when she thought we were leaving her off at home on the way to Michigan next week."

"Oh." Matt said. "Can I tell her some jokes – as long as I tell her they're jokes before I tell them?"

Annie smiled. "Yes, Honey, I think that's a good idea. Just make sure you tell her first."

"Okay." Matt said. "Is that all you wanted to talk about?"

"Yes." Annie replied as she hugged Matt. "Goodnight, Honey."

"Goodnight, Mom." Matt said.

Annie smiled as she turned off the light and left the room, before checking on Mary and Lucy.


	9. Chapter 9 Going To Grandpa And Grandma's

**Chapter 9 – Going To Grandpa and Grandma's**

"_Auntie Annie!" Abby stood outside, crying as she watched the house burn. "Where is my Auntie Annie!" She continued to cry, until she felt someone hug her._

"Shh….I'm right here, Baby Girl." A voice whispered.

Abby opened her eyes and sat up, shaking and crying as she saw Annie holding her.

Annie wanted to ask Abby what her bad dream was about, but she saw how hard she was crying and knew she wouldn't be able to get her words out until she calmed down, so she just started rocking her.

It was a week after Memorial Day, just two hours before daylight and also the day that Charles and Jenny would be packing to go back home.

"Your house was on fire – and they couldn't – find you." Abby finally said a few minutes later, having trouble getting her words out. "I thought your house was really on fire."

Annie kissed Abby on the head as she continued rocking her. "Did we wake you up?" She asked as she saw Eric open the door a little.

Eric smiled. "No, I was already awake."

"I'm cold and thirsty." Abby said.

"Honey, can you please get Abby some water from kitchen?" Annie asked. "Her Care Bears cup is on the counter by the sink."

"Okay." Eric said as he closed the door and left.

"Thank you, Uncle Eric." Abby said, a few minutes later as he handed her the cup of water. "Auntie Annie, I want to go back to sleep, but I'm afraid your house will burn down."

"Uncle Eric went back downstairs to the kitchen, so if the house catches on fire he will let us know, Sweet Baby." Annie said as she wrapped Abby up in her blanket and started rocking her, again.

"He's getting up in the middle of night?" Abby asked, confused.

"Yes, he is, Sweetheart. It's almost time for the sun to come up." Annie said, after looking at the clock.

"Oh." Abby said, as she rested her head on Annie while she continued rocking her.

A few minutes later, Abby was asleep, so Annie tucked in sheets and blankets around her and kissed her on the head, before leaving the room to take her shower.

"I'm ready for my bath." Abby said, a few hours later as she rubbed her eyes.

"Okay, Sweet Baby." Annie smiled as she hugged Abby and kissed her on the head. "We can't take too much time in the bathtub, though, Grandpa and Grandma are packing to go back home."

"When are they leaving?" Abby asked. "Are they going to use the bathtub, too?"

Annie smiled as she helped Abby pick out some clean clothes. "They'll be here for a few more hours, Honey. They won't need the bathroom, but Uncle Eric will need to give Simon a bath, soon."

"In your bathroom?" Abby asked.

Annie smiled. "No, Sweetie, he's going to use the one in the hallway."

After Abby had her bath and the rooms were picked up, she followed Annie and Jenny into Simon's room. "Are we going with Grandpa and Grandma?"

Annie smiled as she started putting some clothes into Simon's dark blue suitcase. "No, Simon is going to spend a few nights with Grandpa and Grandma and then we're going to pick him up on the way to Michigan."

"Oh." Abby said. "What are we going to do, today?"

"Do you want to pick Lucy up from school this afternoon and then go bowling?" Annie asked. "It looks like we'll have a rainy day."

Abby smiled. "YEAH! Is Lucy coming, too?"

"Yes, she is, Sweetheart." Annie replied.

"Are Matt and Mary coming, too?" Abby asked.

"No, Baby, they'll be in school. Uncle Eric will pick them up later." Annie said as she continued putting things into Simon's suitcase. "Lucy is in Kindergarten, that's why she gets out early."

"Oh." Abby said.

After Annie finished packing Simon's suitcase, she carried it downstairs and put it with Charles and Jenny's things. "What does everyone want for breakfast?"

"I want Lasagna and green punch." Abby joked.

Annie laughed and smiled as she hugged Abby and kissed her on the head. "I think you're being silly."

Abby smiled. "Can we all get Egg McMuffin's from McDonalds?"

"Okay, Sweet Baby." Annie said, still hugging Abby. "I'll have Uncle Eric pick some up on the way home from taking Matt, Mary and Lucy to school."

"Yeah." Abby said, still smiling. "And then we can have a breakfast picnic outside."

"I think that's a great idea." Annie said. "You are just full of great ideas today."

Abby giggled as she turned on her Nintendo game and started to play.

"Simon is ready." Eric said as he came down the stairs.

"Okay, Honey." Annie replied.

Abby continued to play Nintendo, while everyone else left the room.

"Uncle Eric just left." Annie said, a few minutes later as she sat down next to Abby. "He's going to pick up some Egg McMuffin's and Hashbrown's for everyone."

"Are Grandpa and Grandma – and Simon going to eat some, too?" Abby asked as she put her game on pause.

"Yes, they are, Sweetheart." Annie said.

"Did Matt, Mary and Lucy eat, too?" Abby asked.

"Yes, they did, Honey. Grandma made something for them earlier." Annie replied.

After Eric came home with the food, Abby turned her game off and followed everyone outside. "Did you get sausage?"

"Yes, he did, Sweet Baby." Annie replied as she took Abby's sandwich out of the wrapper and cut it in half, before giving her a Hashbrown and Orange Juice.

"Are you going to sit by me?" Abby asked, before taking a drink of her Orange Juice.

Annie smiled. "Do you want to sit on my lap?"

Abby smiled back. "Yeah!"

After everyone finished eating, Eric and Annie helped Charles and Jenny put their bags and suitcases in the trunk, while Abby and Simon played in the front yard.

"This is fun!" Abby giggled as she ran around the front yard, with Simon chasing her. "I'll race you to Auntie Annie!"

"Don't get too tired, Sweet Baby, or you won't have any energy left for bowling." Annie said.

Abby ran over to Annie, laughing and giggling _so much_ that she could hardly talk.

"It's time for Grandpa, Grandma and Simon to leave, now, Sweetie." Annie said to Abby as she got Simon's car seat ready.

"See you later everyone." Abby said as she continued to giggle.

"See you later, Abby, have fun." Charles said.

"See you soon." Jenny added.

"I will?" Abby asked.

Annie smiled. "Yes, Honey, we're leaving on Wednesday to spend the night with Grandpa and Grandma and then we're leaving for Michigan on Thursday morning."

"_YES_!" Abby smiled as she skipped around in circles in the driveway, singing. "WE'RE GOING TO MICHIGAN…"

After everyone was ready, they all exchanged hugs and kisses before getting in the car and pulling out of the driveway.

Abby giggled as she stood next to Annie, making funny faces and waving her hands. "See you all later!"

Annie smiled as she picked Abby up, and hugged her while kissing her on the head. "Do you want to move all your stuff into mine and Uncle Eric's room?"

"I thought we were going bowling today." Abby replied.

"We still are, Sweet Baby, but not until this afternoon, right after we pick Lucy up from school." Annie said as she started walking back in house, still carrying Abby.

"Where did Uncle Eric go?" Abby asked as she looked around.

"He's in his office, Sweetie, he went back in the house before we did, so he could get started on work for the church." Annie replied as she walked up the stairs.

Abby giggled as she put her blanket over her head and started walking around the room. "Look, Auntie Annie, I'm a ghost!"

Annie laughed as she picked up a few of Abby's bags. "You are just about the silliest girl I've ever met."

Abby continued to giggle as she rolled up in the blankets on her air mattress. "When we move my bed, I'm carrying my pillow!" She announced.

"Okay, Sweet Baby." Annie replied as she carried Abby's bags down the hall, to her and Eric's room.

"I'll carry my blanket, too – on my head." Abby giggled as she skipped through the hall, following Annie.

Annie smiled as she put the bags down on her side of the bed. "Okay, Sweetheart."

After everything was moved into Eric and Annie's room, Abby played Nintendo for awhile.

"Sweetie, it's time to pick Lucy up from school." Annie announced as she watched Abby pass another level of Super Mario.

"Okay." Abby replied as she turned her game off. "Can we eat snacks there? I'm starting to get hungry, again."

Annie smiled as they walked outside to the car. "Yes, we can, Sweet Baby."

"Does Uncle Eric know we're leaving." Abby asked.

Annie smiled as she started the car. "Yes, he does, I told him right before I told you."

"Oh." Abby replied as she started to dance to the music on the radio.

When Annie turned into the parking lot of the school, she pulled into a parking space and turned the car off. "Come on, Sweetheart, we have to go sign Lucy out."

"Okay." Abby replied as Annie helped her out of the car. "I smell rain."

"Yes, I do too, Sweet Baby." Annie agreed. "The clouds are getting darker, too."

"The other children will probably wonder who I am if any of them see me." Abby said, as they continued walking.

Annie smiled as she held onto Abby's hand. "If they ask, we'll tell them you're Lucy's cousin."

"Lucy knows _a lot_ of children." Abby said, as she noticed this was a much bigger school than the one she goes to.

"Yes, this is a very big school with lots of children." Annie replied as they walked in the door.

"Are we going to her classroom?" Abby asked.

Annie smiled. "Yes, we are, Sweetheart, but first we have to sign her out at the office."

"Oh." Abby said.

After Lucy was signed out and everyone was in the car, Annie started the car.

"Lucy, you have a _BIG_ school!" Abby said as they pulled out of the parking lot.

"It is?" Lucy asked.

"At my school, we have Aide's everywhere and some of them help the children who can't walk and talk. Some of them can't even see and hear!" Abby said. "I wouldn't like it if I couldn't see and I wouldn't like it if I couldn't hear."

"Sweetie, Abby's school is made for children with special needs, so it's a lot different than yours." Annie explained.

"Oh." Lucy said.

Annie smiled as she turned onto another road. "We're almost there, girls."

"Do they have chicken nuggets?" Abby asked.

"Yes, they do, Sweet Baby." Annie replied.

Abby smiled. "I hope I can eat some – and I want some Root Beer and M 'n M's from the candy machine."

"Okay, Baby Girl." Annie replied.

"I think we're going to get wet when we go in the bowling alley." Abby announced a few minutes later, when she saw rain drops on the car windows.

"Is there and umbrella laying on floor back there, Baby?" Annie asked as she pulled into the bowling alley parking lot.

"Yeah." Abby said after looking down at the floor.

After the car was parked and everything was paid for, Annie led Abby and Lucy to the lane they would be using.

Abby smiled as she pointed over at the bowling balls. "Can I please, use that bright pink one over there?"

"Yes, you can, Sweetie, as long as it's not too big or heavy for you, okay?" Annie replied as she remembered Abby has low muscle tone.

"Okay. Let's get some Root Beer!" Abby announced.

Annie smiled. "Shh…Let's get our bowling shoes on, first, Sweet Baby."

"These shoes feel funny." Abby said, as she watched Annie tie them for her.

After everyone was ready, Annie ordered the chicken nuggets and Root Beer before they started bowling.

"My ball keeps going in the gutter." Abby said after taking her third turn.

As the game continued, Annie went up with Abby each time that it was her turn, to help her.

"Can I please, get some M 'n M's out of the candy machine?" Abby asked an hour later as they were getting ready to go home.

"Yes, you can, Honey." Annie replied as she handed Abby and Lucy some quarters. "You can each pick one thing."

"Auntie Annie, I'm still hungry." Abby said as they walked in through the kitchen door.

Annie smiled as she took the leftover Lasagna out of the refrigerator. "Okay, Sweetheart."

"Can I please, have some green punch, too?" Abby asked.

After the Lasagna was warmed up, Annie poured some green punch into Abby's Care Bears cup before they started eating.

"Sweetie, are you still hungry?" Annie asked as she saw Lucy coming back down the stairs. "We have some leftover Lasagna from last night. Do you want some?"

"No, I'm full." Lucy replied. "Where's Mary?"

"Mary is still at school, Honey. Your Daddy just left to pick her and Matt up, so they should be back soon." Annie explained before taking another bite of Lasagna.

Lucy was surprised as she watched Annie put the last of the Lasagna on Abby's plate. "You're eating, more?"

"I'm still hungry." Abby giggled.

After everyone finished eating lunch, Annie started some laundry for packing suitcases while Abby played Nintendo and watched Sesame Street.

The laundry and packing continued on Tuesday as Annie helped Abby pick out what she was going to wear the next day.

"What time are we leaving tomorrow?" Abby asked.

Annie smiled as she folded Abby's clean clothes and pajama's. "We're going to load all of our stuff into the van tomorrow morning and then we're going to leave to pick Matt, Mary and Lucy up from school."

"Are we going to have lunch before we pick them up from school?" Abby asked as she rolled up in the blankets on her air mattress.

"No, Sweetie, I think we're going to stop somewhere on the way, so Matt, Mary and Lucy can eat with us, too." Annie explained.

Abby smiled as she watched Annie move all the bags over by the door, so they would be ready to go, the next morning. "Can I please, bring my Nintendo, too?"

"Yes, you can Sweetheart." Annie replied as she picked up Abby's pajamas. "You, Matt, Mary and Lucy will need showers tonight and then we can rent some movies."

"Can I please, have my shower before we eat so I don't have to later?" Abby asked.

"Okay, Sweet Baby." Annie smiled. "But we can't take too long in the bathroom, I still need to get dinner started, okay?"

Abby smiled. "Okay! Thank you, Auntie Annie!"

After everyone had dinner and showers, Eric and Annie took the children to the video store to pick out a few movies and snacks.

Abby giggled as she watched everyone wait for her to decide what snack she wanted. "I pick cheese popcorn!"

"Okay, Sweetheart." Annie smiled as she took Abby's hand. "Let's go pay for our stuff."

"My movie I picked, will make me laugh all night!" Abby continued to giggle as they stood in line.

As soon as they walked in the door, Annie helped Abby get her pajama's on and then poured some Root Beer for everyone, before putting Abby's movie in the VCR.

Abby walked over to Annie and sat down on her lap, as the movie started. She giggled as she ate her cheese popcorn and drank her Root Beer. "This movie is already funny!"

Annie smiled as she hugged Abby and kissed her on the head. "The movie just started, Sweetie, it will get funnier."

Abby continued to laugh and giggle throughout the movie, until she started to fall asleep at the very end.

"Abby must have laughed herself to sleep." Matt said as he stood up.

"I'll take care of the snacks." Eric said as he helped Annie stand up.

"Okay, Honey." Annie replied. "I'll take Abby upstairs to bed."

"What should we do with Abby's cheese popcorn?" Eric asked.

"Just put a clip on it and Abby can eat it on the way to Arizona and Michigan." Annie replied as she carried Abby up the stairs.

"Okay." Eric said as he left the room.

The next morning, Abby heard Eric and Annie packing the rest of their stuff while she hid under the covers. She decided to play a funny trick on Annie to see how long she could pretend to be asleep before she would try to wake her up.

"Are you going to wake Abby up?" Eric asked as he started taking the bags and suitcases downstairs to the van. "We still have to pack her air mattress."

Abby tried not to giggle, but she couldn't hold it in any longer.

Annie smiled as she pulled the covers off Abby and kissed her on the head. "Hey, you're awake Sweet Baby. I thought you were still sleeping."

Abby giggled even louder as Annie helped her up. "I wanted to play a funny trick on you and Uncle Eric!"

Annie smiled as she hugged Abby. "You sure tricked me, Sweetheart, but if you stay in bed too long, you'll miss Sesame Street. Let's go get your bath water started so we can get ready to go."

"Okay." Abby giggled as they walked into the bathroom behind Eric and Annie's bedroom. "Did I miss Sesame Street?"

"No, Honey, it's only Eight-O-Clock, so you still have an hour." Annie replied as she turned on the water. "Don't forget to brush your teeth, too, since you fell asleep before you had a chance to do it last night."

"Will the toothpaste make my food taste funny?" Abby asked.

"Here, Sweetie." Annie said as she put some toothpaste on Abby's toothbrush. "If you brush your teeth before a bath or shower, the taste should be gone by the time you're done and ready to eat."

Abby smiled. "Okay! Are my cousins awake yet?"

"Yes, they are, Sweet Baby." Annie replied. "Uncle Eric is going to take them to school soon."

"Oh." Abby said as she picked up her toothbrush.

After Abby brushed her teeth and had her bath, Annie picked up around the bathroom and continued the rest of the packing, while Abby watched Sesame Street and played Nintendo.

"Here, Sweetheart." Annie said as she walked in the living room, carrying a McDonalds bag. "Uncle Eric picked up some breakfast for us."

Abby smiled. "_YES_!"

After everyone finished their breakfast and everything was loaded into the van, it was almost time to pick the Camden children up from school.

"Are we coming back here after we pick up my cousins?" Abby asked.

Annie smiled as they carried Abby's pillow and Nintendo out to the van. "No, Sweetie, we're going on, to Arizona."

"Oh." Abby said as she sat down. "Auntie Annie, will you please sit back here with me? It's really warm and everything."

Annie smiled. "Okay, Sweet Baby."

After Eric locked all the doors around the house and everything, he started the van and pulled out of the driveway. Their first stop was the video store where he returned the movies and then the gas station.

"I'm thirsty." Abby announced. "Can I please, have some Root Beer."

Annie took Abby in the store, while Eric put some gas in the van.

Abby smiled. "Look, Auntie Annie they have umbrella's with Care Bears on them! And Sesame Street ones, too!"

"Do you want one, Honey?" Annie asked.

"Yeah!" Abby said, still smiling. "I wish they had one with Care Bears _AND_ Sesame Street on it because I like both."

After a few minutes, Abby finally picked the one with the Care Bears on it and then they walked up to the counter to pay for everything.

"Look, what Auntie Annie bought for me!" Abby said to Eric as he walked in to pay for the gas. "It's an umbrella with Care Bears on it!"

"That is very nice, Abby." Eric smiled as he grabbed something to drink, before joining them in line.

"They had some other ones that had Sesame Street on them, too – but Bert wasn't on any of them." Abby explained.

After they left the gas station, they stopped at the school to pick Matt, Mary and Lucy up.

"Auntie Annie, where is my cheese popcorn?" Abby asked as they sat in the school parking lot.

Annie handed Abby her bag of cheese popcorn as Matt, Mary and Lucy came running up to the van.

"Are we going to Grandpa and Grandma's now?" Lucy asked as she sat down on the other side of Annie.

"Yes, we are, Sweetheart." Annie replied. "But first, we're going to Uncle John's and Aunt Dawn's for a few minutes."

"Can I sit up front with Dad?" Matt asked.

Annie smiled. "Yes, you can, Honey, as long as you put your seat belt on."

"I'm hungry." Mary said as she sat down.

"Me, too." Lucy added.

Abby giggled. "Me three!"

"Are we stopping somewhere to eat?" Matt asked as he put his seat belt on.

"Yes, we're going to KFC as soon as we find one." Annie replied.

Abby smiled. "Now, I can dip my chicken in my mashed potatoes!"

After driving for a half-hour, they finally came to a KFC where Eric pulled into the parking lot and found a parking space.

"Can we please eat outside where it's warm?" Abby asked as soon they walked in the door. "The air in here is cold."

Annie smiled as she looked out the windows and saw the picnic tables. "Okay, Sweetheart."

As soon as everyone had their food, they sat down at one of the picnic tables outside and started eating.

"Auntie Annie, I invented a new Casserole!" Abby giggled as she mixed her cut up dark meat chicken with her mashed potatoes and corn.

Annie smiled as she put her arm around Abby and hugged her. "You're very creative, Sweetie."

Abby was still eating her food, by the time everyone else was finished. "Auntie Annie, I think I just saw a bee – can I please eat my food in the van?"

Annie took Abby back inside, where they gave her a container to put her food in. "Here, Sweet Baby, they put your food in here so you can take it with you."

Abby continued eating her lunch as Eric started the van and pulled out of the parking lot. When Abby was finished, she rested her head on Annie and fell asleep. "Where are we?" She asked a few hours later as she rubbed her eyes.

Annie smiled as she hugged Abby and kissed her on the head. "We're in Phoenix, Sweetheart – just a few minutes away from your house."

"How long are we staying there?" Abby asked.

"Just a few minutes, Honey and then we're going to Grandma and Grandpa's house to spend the night." Annie replied.

"Oh, _NO_, Brutus is outside in his yard!" Abby said a few minutes later as she looked out the window and then unhooked her seat belt, before crawling under the seat.

"Sweetie, where are you going?" Annie asked.

"I think I'll stay in here and hide while everyone goes in the house." Abby said from under the seat. "I don't want to go in."

"Oh, Honey, he wouldn't be able to see you from where you were sitting – the windows are tinted so other people can't see in here." Annie said as she got down on the floor of the van, where Abby was.

"Are we at Uncle John's house?" Lucy asked as soon as the van was turned off.

"Yeah." Matt said as Mary and Lucy followed him out of the van.

"Watch your sisters, they're right behind you." Eric said as he opened the door on his side.

"But, I can see _him_." Abby said as she looked over the seat, out the window and across the road.

"We can see outside from here, Sweetie, but anyone who is outside will only be able to see a reflection of everything around them. It's like looking into a mirror. They make windows like that so other people can't see inside." Annie explained.

Abby was still a little confused. "I still want to stay in here."

"Don't you want to see your Mommy and Daddy, before we go to Grandpa and Grandma's house for the night?" Annie said as she helped Abby onto her lap.

"Can they come out here and see me?" Abby asked nervously. "I don't want Brutus to see me."

"I'll walk in with you, and I won't let him or anyone else hurt you, Sweetheart." Annie said as she hugged Abby.

Abby put her arms around Annie and started to cry.

"Do you want me to have her Mom and Dad come out here?" Eric asked as he stood outside, waiting for Annie and Abby.

"Yeah. Thanks, Honey." Annie replied as she continued to hold Abby.

"Okay." Eric said, before closing the door.

About a minute later, John came out of the house and walked over to the van and opened the door. "Hi, Annie."

"Hi, John." Annie said.

"Abby, Honey, why don't you come inside? I invited Grandpa and Grandma, Aunt Annie, Uncle Eric, Matt, Mary, Lucy and Simon, to eat dinner with us, before all of you go to Grandpa and Grandma's for the night. Your Mommy is inside making spaghetti." John explained.

"I don't want Brutus to see me." Abby repeated.

"I've never seen Abby so scared before. How mean, are they, and what kind of things do they say and do to her?" Annie asked.

"They throw things at her, they call her nasty names, they shoot rubber bands at her, kick dirt at her and a lot of other mean things. Some of them just come into our yard uninvited and start making fun of her and cause a lot of problems. I yelled at them for being nasty and everything, but I think I scared Abby, more than anyone else." John explained.

Annie kissed Abby on the head, as she continued to hold her.

"Brutus and his family, moved in across the road, a couple months ago and he's pretty mean. It didn't take him long to start all of this." John continued to explain, as Charles and Jenny pulled into the driveway.

"Grandpa, Grandma and Simon are here, now, and Matt, Mary and Lucy are outside again. Why don't we all walk in the house together and we can go ahead of everyone so Brutus won't see you." Annie said as she looked out the window and then at Abby again.

Abby was still crying, a little. "Will he see me when I come out?"

"Probably not, Honey." Annie said as she gave Abby another kiss on the head. "It will be dark out, by then."

"He usually goes inside before dark, so he won't see her." John said.

"I won't _ever_ let anyone hurt you." Annie said as she hugged Abby even more, and started to rock her. "I love you, _so much_, Sweet Baby Girl."

Abby hugged Annie, while kissing her on the cheek. "I love you, too, Auntie Annie."

"Come on, Sweetie, let's all go inside and everyone will be right behind you." Annie said, as she watched Charles, Jenny, Matt, Mary, Lucy and Simon walk over to the van.

"Okay." Abby said nervously, as Annie helped her off her lap and then took her hand as she helped her out of the van. They walked up to the door, and into the house, with Charles, Jenny, John, Eric, Matt, Mary Lucy and Simon following behind them.


	10. Chapter 10 The Long Road Trip Part 1

**Chapter 10 – The Long Road Trip Part 1**

"Auntie Annie, can you please put pigtails in my hair?" Abby asked, Thursday morning, as Annie helped her dry off from her morning bath.

Annie smiled as she hugged Abby and kissed her on the head. "Okay, Sweetheart."

After Abby was dry, dressed and the bathroom was cleaned up, Annie took a couple bright pink hair ties with Care Bears on them.

Abby smiled. "Are we having Egg McMuffin's again? I really like those."

"Yes, we are, Sweetie. Grandma is in the kitchen making them right now." Annie replied as she combed Abby's hair.

"When we leave, is Uncle Eric going to drive the van all day?" Abby asked.

Annie smiled. "Yes, he is, Honey – it takes at least two or three days to get from here to Michigan."

"_WHOA_! That's a long time!" Abby said. "I wish the van had a TV in it."

"Okay, let's go eat." Annie said a few minutes later as she finished putting Abby's hair in pigtails.

Abby smiled as she skipped ahead of Annie. "Okay!"

"The bathroom is free." Annie said on her way to the kitchen to help Jenny.

"Okay." Eric replied. "Matt and Mary look like they're almost done eating so they can brush their teeth first."

"My Daddy is here!" Abby announced as she ran into the kitchen from the living room.

"Okay, Sweetheart." Annie replied as she followed Abby into the living room.

"Here he comes!" Abby said, before opening the front door.

"Hi, John." Annie said.

Abby smiled. "Grandma is making Egg McMuffin's before we go to Michigan."

"Hi, Annie, Hi, Abby." John replied as he handed Annie a white envelope. "Here's some spending money for Abby when you're in Michigan."

"Okay." Annie replied as she took the envelope.

"Daddy, do you want some Egg McMuffin's?" Abby asked. "Grandma is making them – you can have some, too."

"Yeah, I'll take one, but I'll have to eat it on the way to work." John replied as he looked at the watch on his wrist, before following Annie and Abby into the kitchen.

After John had his sandwich and coffee, he hugged everyone before walking out the door.

"Do you want us to call you as soon as we get to Michigan?" Annie asked.

"Yeah – thanks." John replied as he looked back and then continued walking.

"Have fun at work!" Abby joked as she waved her hands.

"Okay, I will!" John laughed as he climbed up into his truck.

Annie smiled as she closed the front door. "Let's go eat, Sweet Baby, I think Grandma has your sandwich ready."

Abby giggled as she followed Annie to the kitchen table. "My Daddy just told me he would have fun at work!"

"Awe, your Daddy does like work, Sweetheart." Annie replied as she cut Abby's sandwich in half for her.

"He does?" Abby asked, confused. "I wouldn't like it."

Annie smiled. "Well, your Daddy loves his job. He likes going to business meetings and talking with people. That's why he took the job, Sweetie."

"Oh." Abby said, still confused, but decided to change the subject. "Where did my cousins go?"

Annie smiled. "Matt and Mary are brushing their teeth, Honey, and Uncle Eric is getting ready to put everything back in the van so we can leave soon."

"Oh." Abby said, before taking a bite of her sandwich. "Can I please, watch Sesame Street?"

"No, Sweetie, it's too early and we're going to leave as soon as we finish eating and packing." Annie replied as she put her arm around Abby and hugged her. "But you can watch it when we're in Michigan, okay?"

"I pack my pillow!" Abby announced a few minutes later as she watched Eric fold blankets and sleeping bags while she continued eating her sandwich.

"Okay." Eric said. "I'll leave it out for you."

Annie smiled. "You can leave all of her stuff there, Honey, I'll help her pack after we brush our teeth."

"Can I help, Dad?" Matt asked as he walked in the room.

After all the blankets and sleeping bags were folded and everyone was done eating, Annie, Abby, Lucy and Simon brushed their teeth while Eric, Matt and Mary started putting everything back into the van.

Abby smiled as she sat down on the couch, holding her pillow, blanket and bear. "I'm ready. Let's go to Michigan, Auntie Annie."

Annie smiled back as she finished packing the last of her and Abby's bags. "I'm almost done, Sweet Baby."

"And then we can go?" Abby asked.

"Yes, we can, Baby." Annie replied as she put some of the bags by the door to be taken out to the van.

"Mom, can I please sit up front with Dad, again?" Matt asked as he walked in the room.

"That's fine, Honey, as long as you wear your seat belt." Annie said as she looked in Abby's bag to make sure she had everything.

"I know, Mom. You tell me that every time." Matt said as he started to pick up some of the bags.

Abby smiled. "Are you going to sit by me, again?"

"Yes, I am, Sweetheart." Annie said as she smiled back.

Abby was still smiling. _"YES!"_

"Do you want me to take these bags?" Matt asked.

"Yes, please – except for that really big one. I'll carry that." Annie replied as she closed Abby's bag.

"Okay." Matt said as he carried the bags out to the van.

"Okay, I think we're ready to go." Annie said as she looked around the room to make sure she wasn't forgetting anything.

"Okay. Let's go to Michigan!" Abby announced to anyone else who might be listening.

After everything was put back into the van, everyone exchanged hugs before leaving.

"See you when you come to Michigan!" Abby said, waving her hands.

"Okay." Jenny replied. "Did you remember your blanket, pillow and Teddy Baby?"

Abby smiled as she held everything up, one at a time. "Yeah."

"Here's an extra Egg McMuffin if you want to warm it up somewhere later and eat it." Jenny said as she handed it to Abby in a sandwich bag. "I cut it in half for you."

Abby smiled. "Is it a sausage one?"

"Yes, it is, Honey." Jenny said as she hugged Abby.

"See you later, Grandpa!" Abby said as she waved her hands.

"See you later, Abby." Charles replied as he helped Simon and Lucy into the van before hugging Abby.

Abby smiled as she rested her head on her pillow. "Auntie Annie, can we please make this seat into a bed, again like we did last time?"

"Yes we can, Sweet Baby." Annie replied as she hugged Jenny.

"I love you, Annie." Jenny said. "See you at the family reunion."

Annie smiled. "I love you, too, Mom."

"It was nice seeing you, again." Eric said as he hugged Charles.

"Eric, nice as always." Charles nodded before walking over to Annie and hugging her.

"Please call us when you get there." Jenny said as she hugged Eric.

"Okay." Eric said as he opened the door to the van.

"Let's go to Michigan!" Abby announced.

"I love you, Dad." Annie said as she hugged Charles.

Charles smiled. "I love you, too, Annie."

After Charles and Jenny helped Simon into his car seat and hugged all the children, Eric started the van.

Abby giggled as the back seat folded out into a bed. "This ride is fun!"

"I love you, Grandma and Grandpa!" Lucy yelled.

"See you at the family reunion." Mary added.

Everyone waved as Eric pulled out of the driveway and started the trip to Michigan.

"Auntie Annie, that sun is too bright." Abby said after Eric turned onto the road.

"Okay, Baby." Annie said as she closed the shade on the side window, where the sun was coming in.

Abby giggled as she put her blanket over her head. "It's dark in here!"

After driving for a few minutes, Eric stopped at a gas station to put some gas in the van.

Abby smiled as she watched Eric open the door. "Auntie Annie, can we please go in the store part and see what stuff they have?"

"Yes we can, Sweet Baby." Annie replied as she opened the door. "We'll be right back, Honey." She told Eric.

"Okay." Eric replied as he started pumping gas into the van.

Abby gagged and plugged her nose as Annie helped her out of the van. "Eeewww, that gas stinks!"

Annie smiled as she shut the door to the van, before they started walking. "Let's go fast."

"I hope they have fun stuff in there for me to do when I'm in the van." Abby said as they walked through the door.

"We have to get back before Uncle Eric comes in to pay for the gas, so your cousins won't be alone in the van, okay, Sweetie?" Annie said as she followed Abby to a shelf that had some toys and magazines.

"Look what I found!" Abby said as she ran over to a big box filled with Neon, rainbow colored, star shaped sunglasses with sparkles on them. "Can we please get some?"

"Yes, we can." Annie smiled as she hugged Abby and kissed her on the head. "They will look beautiful on you and keep the bright sun out of your eyes, Sweet Baby."

Abby smiled as she held out another pair for Annie. "You should get one, too – and then we'll match!"

Annie smiled back as she took the sunglasses from Abby. "Okay, Honey."

After Abby had her sunglasses, she picked out a Care Bears coloring book, and a Sesame Street magazine. "I have my fun stuff."

"Okay, Sweetheart." Annie replied as she picked out four juice drinks and seven small boxes of Barnum's Animal Crackers for everyone.

"Can I please, have some Root Beer?" Abby asked.

Annie smiled as she took out three bottles of Root Beer and handed one to Abby. "Yes you can, Honey."

"Are you going to buy sunglasses for my cousins, too?" Abby asked as she followed Annie to the counter, carrying her magazine, coloring book, Root Beer and Animal Crackers.

"No, Baby, they already have some." Annie replied as she put the Animal Crackers, juice and Root Beer on the counter to be paid for. "Put your stuff on the counter, Sweetie."

"Look, what Auntie Annie bought for me!" Abby announced a minute later as they walked up to the van, where Eric was standing.

"Cool shades, kiddo." Eric said as he left to pay for the gas.

Abby giggled. "Now, Uncle Eric wants to buy some?"

Annie smiled as she helped Abby into the van. "No, Sweet Baby, he's going to pay for the gas he put in the van so we can leave."

"Auntie Annie, do we have crayons in here?" Abby asked as she sat down.

"Not in the van, Honey, but I'll buy you some at the next K-Mart." Annie said as she passed out Animal crackers and juice drinks. "Be careful, don't spill anything."

"_We're going to Michigan…!"_ Abby sang a few minutes later as they pulled out of the gas station parking lot.

"Will you, please open this?" Simon asked as he held up his box of animal crackers.

After Annie opened the box of animal crackers, she took out her book and started to read, while Abby and Lucy fell asleep – After eating a few animal crackers, Simon fell asleep, too.

A few hours later, Eric pulled into the parking lot of a party store with a Deli where he stopped so everyone could take a lunch break.

"Where are we?" Abby asked a few minutes later as she rolled over on her back, rubbing her eyes.

"Sweetie, we stopped here for something to eat." Annie explained. "Uncle Eric just took your cousins inside to get some sandwiches."

Abby smiled. "I was sleeping like a baby. Can I please, eat my food in here?"

"Yes you can, Sweetheart." Annie replied as she kissed Abby on the head. "But first we have to go in so we can order our food."

"What kind of food do they have here?" Abby asked.

"I'm not sure, Honey." Annie said. "It's a deli, so they probably have cold meat sandwiches and chips."

Abby smiled. "I pick Bologna!"

Annie smiled back as she helped Abby sit up before hugging her and kissing her on the head. "Okay, Sweet Baby."

"All that sleeping made me hungry." Abby said. "Let's get some lunch."

"In a minute, Honey." Annie said as she took a comb from her purse and a squirt bottle from one of their bags.

After Annie wet Abby's hair and combed it, she helped her into a sweatshirt, before opening the door to the van.

"I'm so hungry, I want one of all the food they have." Abby said as Annie carried her inside.

Annie smiled. "You can't eat everything, you'll explode, Sweet Baby."

The Deli didn't have, Bologna, so Abby ordered a ham and cheese sandwich with Ketchup and Mayo, and some potato salad, a dill pickle and a ninety-nine cent bag of Doritos.

"I'll race you to the van!" Lucy said as she started to run ahead.

"I can't, Lucy, I'm carrying my lunch!" Mary said as she started to walk faster.

"Don't run ahead, Sweetie." Annie said as everyone continued walking.

"Auntie Annie, can I please have my Root Beer?" Abby asked as she sat down and opened the take out container with her food in it.

"Here, Sweetheart." Annie replied as she took the Root Beer out of the cooler and handed it to Abby.

"Auntie Annie, can I please get a Hot Fudge Thursday?" Abby asked a half-hour later after taking the last bite of her potato salad.

"What's a Hot Fudge Thursday?" Mary asked.

"It's just her way of saying Hot Fudge Sunday, Honey." Annie explained.

Abby giggled. "Today is Thursday, not Sunday!"

After everyone finished their lunch and had their ice cream, they continued the road trip with Abby looking at her Sesame Street magazine some of the time and sleeping other times.

"What is this place?" Lucy asked five hours later as Eric pulled into another parking lot.

Annie smiled. "We're going to stay here for the night, Sweetie."

"You're stopping before it gets dark?" Matt asked.

"Yes, Honey, Dad is tired of driving." Annie replied.

Abby smiled. "Are we going to eat here, too?"

"Yes we are, Baby Girl, as soon as we find a place to order our food from." Annie replied, as she started helping Abby put her stuff into a bag.

"Okay, we have our room." Eric said about ten minutes later as he opened the door to the van. "They also have a recreation center with a pool and gym."

Abby smiled. "_AWESOME!_ Can I please go swimming, Auntie Annie?"

Annie smiled as she helped Abby out of the van. "Yes you can, Sweetheart, as soon as we have all of our stuff in the Hotel room."

"Are we going to sleep in someone's apartment?" Abby asked as soon as they walked in the room. "This looks like a living room."

"It kind of looks like one, doesn't it?" Annie said as she put the suitcases on the floor by the couch.

"Hey, there's a table, too!" Lucy said as she ran over by it.

Abby smiled. "Now, I can look out the window when I'm eating – Auntie Annie, what are we having?"

Annie looked at Eric. "Do you want to order a pizza from Little Caesars, Honey?"

"Sounds like a good plan." Eric replied as he put the last of the luggage on the floor.

Abby smiled as she started dancing. "But first, I want to go swimming!"

"I want to go to the gym." Mary said.

"Yeah." Matt agreed.

"I want to go swimming." Lucy said as she walked over to where Annie and Abby were standing.

"Okay." Eric said. "I'll take the boys and Mary to the gym, while you take Abby and Lucy swimming."

"Great idea." Annie replied as she looked at her watch. "Why don't we meet in the lobby at six-o-clock, so we can head back to the room for dinner."

"Sounds good." Eric agreed as Matt, Mary and Simon followed him out the door. "We'll see you there."

"How long is six-o-clock?" Abby asked as she followed Annie into the bathroom.

Annie smiled as she helped Abby put her bathing suit on. "It's about five-o-clock, Sweet Baby, so we'll have at least an hour."

Abby smiled as they left the Hotel room fifteen minutes later. "I can't wait to jump in."

"Me, too." Lucy said.

"I _LOVE_ this room!" Abby said as soon as they walked in. "Look at all the colored lights, Auntie Annie!"

"I do, too, Sweetheart." Annie agreed as she looked around the room. "It will be even more colorful when it gets dark outside."

"We're going to be here that long?" Abby asked.

"We'll come back sometime after dinner." Annie said as she hugged Abby and kissed her on the head.

Abby smiled. "I get to swim two times? This is _AWESOME_!"

"Yeah." Lucy agreed as Annie kissed her on the head.

"I see Uncle Eric and my cousins!" Abby announced a few minutes later as she pointed across the room, to some glass windows where she could see inside the gym.

Annie smiled. "That's the gym, Honey."

As soon as Abby and Lucy were ready, they jumped in the water while Annie watched them.

"Come in, Auntie Annie, the water is really warm." Abby said as she moved herself along the edge of the pool, to where Annie was sitting with her feet in the water.

"I think I'll just watch you girls for now." Annie replied. "I'll swim after dinner, okay, Sweetie?"

"Okay." Abby giggled as she tickled Annie's feet.

Annie smiled. "You're full of giggles, aren't you?"

Abby continued to giggle as she splashed around in the pool with Lucy, until it was time to go back to the room for dinner.

"Daddy, where are you going?" Lucy asked after everyone was back in the Hotel room and had their dry clothes back on.

"I have to pick up the pizza, Sweetie." Eric replied as he waited for Annie to make a small list of what to get. "I'll be back soon."

Abby smiled. "Uncle Eric, I saw you when I was in the pool room. They have windows in there."

"I saw you, too, Honey." Eric said as Annie handed him the list.

"Matt, where are you going?" Mary asked as she watched him follow Eric out the door.

"He's going to help Dad carry our dinner into the Hotel." Annie replied.

"Are we going to have a case of food, _this big_?" Abby giggled as she held out her arms.

Annie smiled as she helped Abby up onto her lap. "We're going to have two pizza's and Matt will carry the Crazy Bread."

"And then I can go crazy!" Abby said as she continued to giggle.

Annie continued to smile as she hugged Abby and kissed her on the head.

"Is Dad getting the pizza from Little Caesars?" Mary asked as she sat down on the couch, next to Lucy.

"Yes, he is, Honey." Annie replied.

"Auntie Annie, do we have any crayons yet?" Abby asked.

"Uncle Eric is going to pick some up, while he waits for them to make our pizzas." Annie said as she held Abby.

"We're back." Matt said about twenty-five minutes later as he walked in, carrying some Crazy Bread, pizza sauce and a K-Mart bag with crayons, paper plates, paper cups, plastic forks, napkins and couple 2 Liter bottles of Root Beer.

Abby smiled. "Did you buy some crayons, Uncle Eric?"

"Yes, he did, Sweet Baby." Annie replied after Matt handed her the bag. "But it's time to eat, now, okay?"

"_We got our pizza from Little Sneezer's and their bread is crazy_!" Abby giggled as she sat on Annie's lap and started making up silly songs.

Annie smiled as she hugged Abby and kissed her on the head. "I know who else is crazy."

"You don't like Little Caesar's?" Matt asked, confused.

"She does, she's just being silly." Annie replied as she took a slice of pizza from the box.

Abby giggled. "It's my favorite pizza place – but I like Auntie Annie's pizza even better."

"Thank you, Sweet Baby." Annie said as she cut Abby's crust off for her.

Abby continued to giggle throughout dinner and the whole time they were in the pool.

"Sshh…" Annie said as she wrapped Abby up in a towel, before picking her up.

"Is Simon still in the baby pool?" Abby asked.

Annie smiled. "Uncle Eric is getting him out, Honey."

After everyone was back in the room, Annie helped Abby put her pajamas on, while Eric blew up the air mattresses.

"Where am I going to sleep?" Abby asked.

"We're going to put your air mattress next to this bed, in case you need anything." Annie replied.

Abby smiled. "Awesome! Are my cousins going to sleep in here, too?"

"No, Baby, they're going to sleep in the living room part." Annie explained. "Uncle Eric is putting up their air mattress right now."

After all the beds were set up and everyone was ready, Abby was the first one to fall asleep.

"Abby must have tired herself out from giggling so much." Eric whispered as he turned over on his side.

"It's almost time to leave, Sweet Baby…" Annie whispered, the next morning as she kissed Abby on the head, trying to wake her up. "Baby Girl…"

"I'm cold." Abby finally said a few minutes later, only half awake as she covered her eyes from the light of the room.

After helping Abby into some warmer pajamas, Annie picked her up and put her on the bed that she and Eric slept in, while she let the air out of her air mattress.

"Can I please sleep in the van?" Abby asked as she watched Annie put the folded air mattress back in the box. "I'm still really tired."

"Yes you can, Sweetheart." Annie replied as she handed the air mattress box to Eric. "Are Lucy and Simon awake yet?"

Eric looked over to where Lucy and Simon were still sleeping. "Matt and Mary are trying to wake them up, now."

"Are you going to get our stuff ready to leave, now?" Abby asked as she rubbed her eyes.

"We just did, Sweetie." Annie replied as she picked Abby up. "We're going to leave as soon as we can get your cousins awake."

"Did you fold up their beds, too?" Abby asked as she rested her head on Annie's shoulder.

"Uncle Eric is going to do that, now." Annie explained, as she hugged Abby and kissed her on the head.

"Even with Simon and Lucy still sleeping on it?" Abby giggled.

Annie laughed a little as she continued to hold Abby. "No, Honey, he's probably going to pick them up and put them somewhere else while he does that."

"Oh." Abby said, before yawning.

After Eric had all the air mattresses taken care of and put back in the van, he carried Simon, while Annie carried Abby, who fell back asleep and the rest of the children followed them as they checked out.

"Can I please, sleep in the back, too?" Lucy asked as she rubbed her eyes. "It's still dark outside and too early for me to get up."

"Yes you can, Honey." Annie replied as she made up the bed in the back.

After everyone was settled in, Eric started the van and they continued their trip to Michigan.

Later that morning, about three hours after they left the Hotel, they ran into some hazy and humid weather, with temperatures already in the low 80's. Storm clouds were starting to develop across the sky, and it looked like it could start to rain any minute. The back seat of the van was still folded out into a bed, with Abby and Lucy sleeping on it. Eric was driving, Matt was sitting up front with Eric, Mary and Simon, were sitting in the seat behind Eric, and Annie was sitting in the back, with Abby and Lucy.

"Honey, I think we should start looking for a place to eat. Most of the children are awake, now, and they're probably hungry." Annie said, breaking the silence.

"Okay." Eric replied. "Do you want to get off at the next exit?"

Annie looked over at Abby and Lucy. "Yes – it looks like Lucy is starting to wake up, now."

"Okay." Eric said as he slowed down for the next exit.

"I'm hungry, Mommy." Lucy said as she rubbed her eyes.

"Okay, Sweetie." Annie replied. "We're looking for a place to eat, right now."

"Okay." Lucy said as she sat up.

After they got off at the exit, and have been looking for about a minute or two, Annie noticed a country style restaurant. "That looks like a good place to eat."

"Yeah, it does." Eric agreed as he slowed down. "We'll stop there."

"Mom, do we have to wait for Abby to wake up, before we can eat?" Mary asked.

Annie looked over at Abby and then at Mary. "No, Honey. I'll stay with her for a few minutes and you can go with your Dad when he goes in to get us on the list for a table."

"Can I go, too?" Lucy asked.

"Yes you can, Sweetie." Annie replied.

"I'll take Matt and Simon, too, and then you and Abby can meet us inside." Eric said as he pulled into a parking space.

Annie smiled. "Okay. Thanks, Honey."

"All of you, please stay with me and don't run off anywhere." Eric said as he opened the door.

"Okay." Matt said as Mary, Lucy and Simon followed him out of the van.

"We'll meet you in a few minutes." Annie said.

"Okay." Eric replied, before shutting the door.

"Where are we? That door woke me up." Abby said as she rubbed her eyes.

"We stopped here to get something to eat, Sweetie. Uncle Eric took your cousins inside and they're getting us on the list so we can be seated." Annie explained as she kissed Abby on the head.

Abby sat up. "I'm hot."

"It's a lot warmer outside, than it was when we left the Hotel this morning." Annie said as she helped Abby take off her sweatshirt. "Do you want me to help you into some cooler clothes, Honey?"

"Will it be cold inside?" Abby asked.

"I don't know, Sweet Baby." Annie said as she held up Abby's blanket and sweatshirt. "We can bring these inside in case you get cold."

Abby smiled. "Okay!"

After Annie helped Abby into some cooler clothes, she put her sweatshirt and blanket into a bag, and then grabbed a sweatshirt for herself, in case she got cold, too.

"Okay, let's go meet Uncle Eric and your cousins inside so we can have some breakfast." Annie said as she took Abby's hand and helped her out of the van.

"Okay." Abby said as she jumped down. "I hope it's not cold in there – I don't like air conditioning."

Annie picked Abby up and hugged her after shutting the door. "I know, Sweetheart." She carried Abby, who was still a little sleepy, into the restaurant, where she told the waitress who they came with.

"That was fast." Eric said as he watched the waitress lead Annie and Abby to their table.

"Yeah, you woke her up when you shut the door to the van." Annie said as she pulled out a chair before sitting down.

"That ceiling is too high." Abby said as she looked up and giggled. "And it has windows!"

"Sshh….Don't talk too loud, okay, Sweetie?" Annie said as she hugged Abby and kissed her on the head.

"We have to be quiet when other people are eating, too?" Abby asked. "I thought we only had to be quiet when they were sleeping."

"No, Honey, we can't be too loud in restaurants, either, okay?" Annie whispered.

"Why is the ceiling too high?" Matt asked.

"Really big rooms scare me." Abby said.

"Sometimes, Abby feels overwhelmed in wide open spaces." Annie explained.

"Do they have omelet's here?" Abby asked. "I really want one for my breakfast."

"I don't know, Baby Girl." Annie said as she picked up her menu.

"I want an omelet, too, Mommy." Lucy said.

Abby smiled. "On mine, I want sausage, eggs and cheese – and I want Tomato Juice for my drink."

"It looks like they make them, but we should ask the waitress how big they are, first – okay, Sweetie?" Annie said, still looking at the menu.

"Okay." Abby replied. I hope it's not too big so I can have one."

"They have Tomato Juice." Annie said as she read the drink options.

"_YES!"_ Abby said in a loud whisper, before giggling.

"Do they have any blueberry pancakes here?" Mary asked.

"I'm not sure, Honey." Annie said as she picked up the menu, again.

"I really like that Hotel we stayed at last night." Abby said. "Uncle Eric, can you please find us another one like it to stay at for tonight?"

"I could try, Honey, but I can't promise anything." Eric said as he looked at his menu.

Abby smiled. "Okay. I hope you can find one."

"Can I take your order?" The waitress asked as she walked over to the table.

"Can you, please tell me how big the Omelet's are?" Annie asked.

After the waitress showed Annie how big, they were, she decided she would split one with Abby and Lucy. "Could we please have three Hashbrown's and one Omelet with two extra plates?"

"Okay." The waitress replied as she wrote down the order.

"Are we going to split one?" Abby asked.

Annie smiled. "Yes we are, Sweetheart."

"_YES!"_ Abby whispered, remembering not to talk too loud. "I want sausage, eggs and cheese on my part – and tomato juice for my drink."

"We should all go wash up before we eat." Annie suggested, after all the food was ordered. "I'll take Abby, Mary and Lucy first."

After everyone ate their breakfast, they continued the road trip, with Abby sleeping most of the day.

"Are we in Michigan, yet?" Abby asked as she rubbed her eyes.

"Almost, Baby." Annie replied as she helped Abby get ready to go in the restaurant. "After we eat, we're going to look for another Hotel and stay there for the night. We should be in Michigan, sometime tomorrow."

Abby smiled. _"YES!_ Will the Hotel have a swimming pool like the other one?"

"I don't know, Honey." Annie replied. "It's getting kind of late, so we might not swim again until we get to Michigan."

"It's almost dark outside!" Abby said, surprised, as she looked up at the sky, through the back window of the van. "Did I sleep all day?"

Annie smiled. "Most of it, Sweetie. Are you hungry?"

"I don't know." Abby said, confused. "Are we at a restaurant?"

"Yes we are, Sweetheart. We're at the Cracker Barrel." Annie replied as she helped Abby sit up.

Abby giggled. "Every time I go to sleep and then wake up, we get to stop and eat! I should go to sleep all the time!"

Annie laughed as she hugged a very sleepy Abby. "You're a silly girl, but I love you, Sweet Baby."

Abby continued to giggle as she rested her head on Annie's shoulder. "I love you, too, Auntie Annie. What kind of food do they have and where is Uncle Eric and my cousins?'

"They went inside a few minutes ago, Honey. We're going to catch up with them as soon as I comb your hair." Annie replied as she took a comb from her purse and a spray bottle. "I don't know what kind of food they have here."

"What was the name of that restaurant when we had lunch?" Abby asked.

Annie smiled as she combed Abby's hair. "Shoney's?"

"Oh, yeah!" Abby giggled.

"Okay, let's go eat." Annie said, a few minutes later after putting the comb and spray bottle away.

"I don't know what I want." Abby said, after they went inside and found the table where Eric and the children were sitting.

"Do you want a cheeseburger with pickles, ketchup and mustard?" Annie suggested as she looked at the menu and then at Abby.

Abby smiled. "Okay. Do they have Root Beer, too?"

After all the food was ordered, Abby, Lucy and Simon colored on a paper from the Children's Menu, while Matt and Mary did the crossword puzzles.

"I don't understand crossword puzzles." Abby said as she looked over at Mary's paper.

"Yeah, I would rather color." Lucy said as she picked up a red crayon.

Abby smiled. "I'm going to give mine to Auntie Annie."

"Here's our food." Annie said, about a half-hour later as she looked up and saw the waitress.

"Did they forget to cook my bun?" Abby asked, confused. "It looks funny and it smells funny, too."

"Is that sourdough bread?" Matt asked as he looked over at the cheeseburger on Abby's plate.

"Yes it is, Honey." Annie replied.

"Oh." Abby said as she looked down at her plate. "I thought they were going to give me a bun."

After the waitress brought a bun for Abby and everyone finished their dinner, Eric found another Hotel.

"Matt, Mary and Lucy, you'll need showers tonight." Annie announced as they walked in the room.

"Are we going swimming again?" Lucy asked.

Annie smiled. "Not tonight, Honey, it's getting late."

"Do Abby and Simon have to take showers, too?" Mary asked as she sat down.

"They'll have baths in the morning." Annie replied as she picked out some clean pajamas for Mary and Lucy.

Abby smiled. "This room has a really small kitchen, Auntie Annie!"

"Yes it does, Sweetheart." Annie agreed. "I'm going to help you get your pajamas on and then I'm going to help Mary and Lucy, okay?"

"Okay." Abby giggled. "Can I please, lay on your bed when you're helping Mary and Lucy?"

"Yes you can, Sweet Baby." Annie replied as she hugged Abby and kissed her on the head. "Let's go get your pajamas on."

"Okay!" Abby giggled as she skipped off to the small room where the bed was.

"Matt is going first." Eric said as he watched Annie and Abby leave the room.

"Okay, Honey." Annie said, before closing the door.

"_BOO!"_ Abby giggled an hour later as she jumped up from the other side of the bed to surprise Annie. "Are you done helping everyone take a shower?"

"Yes, I am, Sweetheart." Annie replied as she folded Mary and Lucy's dirty clothes and put them in a plastic bag. "Uncle Eric is going to take one, now."

Abby continued to giggle as she crawled around on the bed. "When you were helping Mary and Lucy, Uncle Eric put my air mattress up and then he read a book."

Annie smiled at Abby as she sat down on the bed and then looked at Eric. "Honey, thanks for watching her for me."

"Any time, Honey." Eric said as he closed his suitcase and started walking to the bathroom.

Abby started to giggle even harder, as she rolled around on Annie's side of the bed. "Have fun, taking your shower, Uncle Eric!"

"Sweet Baby, I'm going to call your Daddy and then Grandpa and Grandma." Annie said as she picked up the phone. "Do you want to talk with them?"

Abby continued to giggle as she crawled under the covers, before pulling them over her head. "Okay!"

Annie smiled as she looked over at her side of the bed. "It's ringing."

"What's so funny?" Mary asked as she walked into the room.

"I'm in Auntie Annie's bed!" Abby giggled.

"Actually, it's the Hotel's bed." Matt said as Lucy and Simon followed him from the other room.

"So, what is Abby, doing?" John asked after they've been talking for a few minutes. "Is she having fun?"

Annie smiled. "She's laying here under the covers on my side of the bed, giggling."

"She sounds a lot happier than she was before Mom and Dad brought her to your house a few weeks ago." John replied. "I was getting worried about her when we kept getting reports from her teacher that she was sneaking off to hide somewhere and cry."

"I know, she really missed me." Annie replied sympathetically. "I should have taken the children for a ride down there on the weekends."

"I'm glad she's spending time with you, now." John said. "I can hear her giggling."

"Yeah." Annie smiled as she put her hand on Abby's back and kissed her on the head.

After Annie finished talking with John, Abby took her turn before they called Charles and Jenny. Matt, Mary, Lucy and Simon each took a turn talking with Charles and Jenny, while Annie helped Abby finish getting ready for bed.


	11. Chapter 11 Welcome To Michigan Part 2

**Chapter 11 Welcome To Michigan Part 2**

"Are we late for Michigan?" Abby asked, the next morning as she opened her eyes and saw that it wasn't dark outside.

"No, Baby." Annie said as she closed her book before kissing Abby on the head. "Uncle Eric and I decided we would let you and your cousins go swimming before we leave."

Abby smiled. _"AWESOME!"_

"But first you'll need a bath, okay?" Annie said as she hugged Abby.

"Auntie Annie, how many more hours until we get to Michigan?" Abby asked, a few minutes later as Annie helped her step into the bathtub.

"We're actually, just a few minutes away from Michigan, but it will take us at least a few hours to drive to the cottage." Annie explained as she put some Dial Soap on a wash rag for Abby. "We should be there around dinner time or just before – if we get there soon enough, you can watch Sesame Street today."

"_YES!"_ Abby giggled. "I hope Uncle Eric drives fast."

"He can't drive too fast, or the police will give him a speeding ticket, Honey." Annie replied.

Abby was confused. "What's a speeding ticket?"

"When you drive too fast, you get in trouble. A speeding ticket is a small sheet of paper that tells how much money you have to give the court to pay for your mistake." Annie explained as she continued to help Abby with her bath.

"Why can't people drive fast?" Abby asked.

"It's against the law, Sweetie." Annie replied.

"Oh." Abby said, still confused. "Can we swim for a long time, today?"

Annie smiled. "We'll stay for one hour, Baby, then we have to leave so we can get there in time for dinner."

"Look, everyone – Auntie Annie is carrying me in the water!" Abby giggled a half-hour later when they were in the pool.

Eric smiled. "You look like you're having lots of fun."

Abby continued to giggle as she put her arms around Annie and kissed her on the cheek.

"Yes, we are, Uncle Eric." Annie agreed, before kissing Abby on the head.

"I don't want to land on you when I jump in." Abby said, a few minutes later as she stood before the edge of the pool.

"You won't, Baby, it's okay." Annie said as she moved back a little and held out her arms.

"I won't hurt you?" Abby asked, nervously.

"You won't hurt me, Sweet Baby." Annie said.

"Can I go first?" Lucy asked as she stood behind Abby.

Annie smiled. "Okay, Sweetheart."

"Watch this, Abby." Lucy said, before jumping in.

Abby watched nervously as Lucy jumped in the water. "Do you want me to jump in, now?"

"Only if you want to, Baby Girl." Annie replied. "If you do, it won't hurt me."

"Okay." Abby said, still nervous as she jumped in.

Everyone continued to swim until the pool was almost empty.

"Why is everyone leaving?" Abby asked, confused, as she watched everyone leave the room.

"I think the National Weather Service just issued a tornado watch for the rest of the day." Eric said as he stood by the edge of the pool. "They said it includes most of Michigan, too."

"Oh. I don't see any clouds." Abby said as she looked outside from where Annie was holding her in the pool. "Can we still swim, Auntie Annie?"

"Honey, are there any storms coming right now?" Annie asked as she looked up at Eric.

"I don't know." Eric replied. "They didn't mention any."

"Can we still swim?" Abby asked again, as she hugged Annie.

Annie smiled. "We can stay in here for a few more minutes, Baby, and then we have to go."

"I'm getting hungry." Abby said ten minutes later as Annie wrapped her up in a towel.

Annie smiled as she helped Abby dry off, before picking her up. "Do you want to get some doughnuts for breakfast?"

"_YEAH!"_ Abby said, before giggling. "Those windows are so big, there's no room for the walls!"

"Yes, they are, Sweetheart." Annie agreed.

"We're ready, Mom." Matt said as Eric, Simon, Mary and Lucy followed him to where Annie and Abby were standing.

"Okay, let's go." Annie said as she picked Abby up and carried her while everyone followed them back to the Hotel room.

"To Michigan!" Abby added.

"Yes, we are, as soon as we put some dry clothes on." Annie said, before kissing Abby on the head.

"I want blueberry!" Mary said, twenty minutes later as they stood in line at the bakery.

"I want mine with strawberry in the middle and that clear frosting on the outside!" Abby said.

"Glazed?" Matt asked.

"Yeah, she calls it clear frosting." Annie explained. "Honey, I don't think they have the clear frosting on the ones with the strawberry in the middle."

"Oh." Abby said. "Are we in Michigan, now?"

"Not yet, Baby." Annie replied. "We'll be in Michigan a few minutes after we leave here."

"_WHOA_, it's getting dark out here!" Abby said as they walked out to the van, after buying a big box of doughnuts.

"We're having a storm, Sweet Baby." Annie replied as she felt a rain drop.

"We have a thunderstorm coming!" Abby announced to anyone who was listening.

As soon as Eric unlocked the van, everyone took their seat, before Annie passed out doughnuts and napkins. "Please be careful so you won't get any jelly or frosting on the seats or the floor."

Abby smiled as she looked out the back window of the van. "Auntie Annie, I can see the thunderstorm from here."

"Daddy, are we going to leave?" Lucy asked as she watched Eric take a doughnut from the box.

"He's going to eat, first, Sweetie." Annie replied.

Abby smiled as she watched Eric go through the stations on the radio. "Can we please listen to some country music?"

"Country?" Matt asked.

"_Yeah!"_ Abby said as she continued to smile.

"As long as they tell the weather report." Eric replied. "If there's a tornado, we need to know so we can find a safe place stay until it's over."

"We should run away in the van if one comes." Abby suggested. "Then it can't catch us."

"We can't do that, Sweet Baby. It's not safe to run away from tornadoes." Annie explained.

By the time everyone finished their doughnuts, Eric was already on the road with the rain coming down in sheets. "Here's Michigan." He announced right before they crossed under a bridge with a sign on it.

"_YES!"_ Abby giggled as she tried to open the shades on the side window in the back seat. "I like this thunderstorm, Auntie Annie!"

After Annie opened the shade for Abby, she helped her make up the bed in the back so she could sleep.

"I'm hungry, again." Abby said, four hours later as she rubbed her eyes. "Auntie Annie, can I please have some chicken nuggets?"

"Yes you can, Sweetheart." Annie replied after kissing Abby on the head. "Honey, can we look for a McDonalds around here?"

"Okay." Eric agreed. "McDonalds will be our next rest stop."

"Auntie Annie, how many more hours until we get there?" Abby asked fifteen minutes later, as she sat down in the van, holding her Happy Meal box.

Annie smiled. "We should be there in about thirty to forty-five minutes, Baby."

"_YES!"_ Abby smiled back as she opened her box of chicken nuggets. "I hear thunder, again."

As soon as Eric was done eating, he started the van and continued the trip to the cottage with Abby eating her chicken nuggets and watching it storm the rest of the way there.

"Is this where we're staying?" Matt asked forty minutes later as Eric pulled into Alice's driveway.

"No, Honey, we're staying in her other one across the road from this one." Annie replied as she started getting everything ready to unload from the van.

"I hope he doesn't try to eat any of my chicken nuggets." Abby said as she plugged her ears, while watching the barking dog in the yard.

"You're still eating?" Matt asked.

Abby giggled as she continued to plug her ears.

"Mom, can we get out?" Mary asked as she took her seatbelt off.

"In a minute, Sweetie." Annie replied as Alice knocked on the window of the van.

"Is that Cousin Alice?" Abby asked. "Uncle Eric is putting his window down."

"Yes it is, Sweet Baby." Annie replied as she finished putting everything into a plastic bag.

"Auntie Annie bought me chicken nuggets at McDonalds." Abby announced to Alice a minute later as she held up the Happy Meal box. "I got nine of them, because that's how old I am – until my next birthday, then I'll be ten."

"Are you coming, Abby?" Eric asked as he waited to close the door on the side of the van.

"No way!" Abby said as she pointed at the dog, who was now standing next to Alice. "I don't want him to get my chicken nuggets."

"I'll make sure he doesn't get your food." Alice said, as Annie helped Abby step down from the van.

Abby held up her Happy Meal box and stepped back as the dog walked over and started sniffing her. "Please stop it, these are mine - Auntie Annie bought them for me."

"I'll put him in the pen, so he won't bother you." Alice said as she led the dog away from Abby.

"Did I miss Sesame Street?" Abby asked as Annie picked her up.

"No, Baby, it should be starting in a few minutes." Annie replied after looking at her watch.

Abby smiled. "Let's go watch it!"

"Let's take the van and go get unpacked." Eric suggested.

"We have to take the van, just to go across the road?" Abby asked.

"We're going to stay in her other cottage across the road, so we have to park the van over there." Annie explained, before kissing Abby on the head.

"Yeah, I don't think Alice wants our van in her driveway the whole summer." Eric said as he opened the door so everyone could get back in.

Abby giggled as Annie helped her back in the van.

"Why don't I show you around really quick so you'll have an idea of where everything is." Alice suggested after everyone was inside the cottage.

"Oh that would be great, Alice." Annie replied. "Can Abby watch Sesame Street?"

"Okay." Alice said before turning on the TV.

After Sesame Street was over, Abby went to look for Annie. "Look what I found in one of the rooms!" She announced as she ran out of the cottage, carrying a Rubik's Cube.

"Abby, there's a car coming!" Matt yelled as he watched her run towards the road.

"No, Sweet Baby, stay over there!" Annie said as she looked across the road and saw Abby running in her direction.

"Abby, wait!" Mary yelled as she stood next to Matt.

Abby continued to run, as she heard everyone yelling, but didn't process anything they were saying.

"Abby, don't cross the road, yet!" Lucy yelled as she joined Matt and Mary.

"Abby!" Simon yelled, copying his brother and sisters.

Annie gasped as she watched Eric pull Abby back right before the car came speeding by. "_BABY GIRL!_"

"I just wanted to show Auntie Annie what I found in the cottage." Abby said, confused as she watched Annie and Alice walk across the road.

"Abby, that car almost hit you." Matt said as he walked over to her.

"Honey, you could have been killed." Annie said, still shaken up.

"Are you mad at me?" Abby asked, nervously.

"No, Baby…you just really scared me when you almost ran out in front of that car." Annie replied. "If that car hit you, you could have been seriously hurt or even dead."

"I'm sorry." Abby said, as she felt tears run down both sides of her face. "I didn't mean to scare you."

Annie started to cry as she picked Abby up and hugged her while kissing her on the head. "I know you didn't, Sweetheart. I just love you so much and don't want anything to happen to you. Oh baby, I'm not mad at you, I was just scared. But I'm so glad you're okay."

Abby rested her head on Annie's shoulder and continued to cry, as she was being carried inside the cottage. "I saw you talking to Cousin Alice in her yard and I wanted to show you what I found in here."

After Annie checked on her children and saw that they were all with Eric, she sat down and rocked Abby while explaining the Rubik's Cube to her.

"I wish you had one at your house so I can play with it when I come over." Abby said as she rubbed her eyes.

Annie smiled. "Well maybe I'll buy you one sometime."

"I love you." Abby said, before kissing Annie on the cheek.

"I love you, too, Sweet Baby." Annie replied as she hugged Abby.

"Abby, do you want to come outside and play?" Lucy asked a few minutes later as she walked in the room.

"Not tonight, Honey, it's almost time for dinner." Annie said.

"What are we having?" Abby asked.

Annie smiled. "Cousin Alice is coming over and she's going to make Broccoli Casserole and ham."

"I like ham." Abby said. "What does the Broccoli Casserole have in it?"

"Broccoli, Cheese, Cream Of Mushroom Soup, Rice and other stuff." Annie replied.

"I hope it doesn't have onions or pepper." Abby said. "Can I please go play with Lucy?"

"Okay, Sweetheart." Annie agreed as she helped Abby off her lap. "Please stay inside for the rest of today, okay?"

Abby smiled. "Can I please play outside, tomorrow?"

"Yes, you can, Baby, as long as you don't go near the road." Annie replied.

"Okay." Abby said. "If I see you go by the road, can I please go with you?"

"Please yell my name or something to let me know you're there, first and I'll come and get you." Annie said, as she hugged Abby and kissed her on the head one more time, before standing up to go in the kitchen.

"Okay." Abby agreed as she skipped off to the playroom.

"Abby really scared me today – she doesn't understand danger and isn't aware of it, like most children and sometimes I worry about her more than Matt, Mary, Lucy or Simon." Annie explained five minutes later as she helped Alice make dinner. "It makes me want to never let her out of my sight."

"Yeah, I understand." Alice replied as she took a sweet potato and started peeling it.

"Auntie Annie, can someone please hook up my Nintendo?" Abby asked as she walked into the kitchen.

"Can we also have something to snack on?" Lucy added. "We're getting hungry."

"Here's some cheese and crackers, Baby." Annie replied after taking them out of a plastic bag.

"Auntie Annie, it's getting dark outside." Abby said as she looked out the window. "And I hear thunder!"

"They said we might get more storms today, Honey." Annie replied as she poured some Seven Up for Abby and Lucy.

"_YES!_" Abby giggled, jumping up and down.

"Mommy, is Abby in trouble for why she can't go outside again today?" Lucy asked.

"No she's not being punished, Sweetie." Annie replied. "I'm still a little shook up from what happened earlier and I want her to stay inside with me, so I'll know she's safe."

When dinner was ready, Abby tried the Broccoli Casserole and liked it so much that she ended up eating most of it and Annie had to hold her a few times during and after dinner when the storm made the power go out.


End file.
